HYDERABAD: A rival candidate in the PS-73 (Jamshoro) by-polls has challenged the acceptance of nomination form of PPP’s Syed Murad Ali Shah, who is widely tipped to be next chief minister of Sindh.

Roshan Ali Buriro, who belongs to nationalist organisation Sindh United Party, filed an appeal before a two-member election tribunal on Saturday claiming that Murad Shah does not meet the qualification criteria under Article 62 and 63 of the Constitution.

The tribunal, which consists of Justice Abdul Rasool Memon and Justice Salahuddin Panwhar of the Sindh High Court (SHC) Hyderabad circuit bench, will hear Buriro’s appeal on Monday for which notices have been issued to Murad Shah, the provincial Election Commission, Regional Election Commissioner Hyderabad, the District Election Commissioner who is the Returning Officer for PS-73, and six other respondents.

Notice has also been issued to the Deputy Attorney General (DAG) for the said date.

The PS-73 (Jamshoro) seat had fallen vacant after resignation of Murad Shah’s first cousin Abdul Nabi Shah.

Earlier this week, Returning Officer Imran Ahmed accepted Murad’s nomination form for by-election in the constituency after he submitted a certificate issued on July 18 last year by the Canadian government showing he has renounced his dual nationality.

Buriro has previously contested by lost by-polls against Murad in February 2013, bagging only a few thousands votes as Habibullah Rind ended as the runner up.

Also read: Murad’s papers for PS-73 accepted

In his appeal, Buriro termed acceptance of his rival’s candidature as violation of law and procedure because of malafide intentions of RO. He said that the nomination form was accepted without realising and considering the fact that Shah does not meet qualification criteria under Articles 62 and 63 of Constitution.

The appellant maintained that Shah contested 2008 polls by falsely claiming that he meets criteria of qualifications to become member of national or provincial assembly. He said that such statement was given under oath, but his later admission of holding dual nationality at that time disqualifies him under Article 63 from contesting elections.

Murad Shah recently resigned as Adviser on Finance to CM Sindh to contest polls from his home constituency which has previously been held by his late father, Syed Abdullah Shah.

The former finance minister himself won polls in the constituency in 2002, 2008 and then in the 2013 by-polls. This will be Murad’s fourth straight elections if things go his way.

Murad Shah, who is tipped among party circles to be the next chief minister as a replacement for the elderly Qaim Ali Shah, has previously briefly served as irrigation and revenue ministers.

CM Shah is believed to have been given a show-cause notice by PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari in the backdrop of the prevailing situation of Tharparkar.

In his appeal, Roshan Buriro stated that after false claims by Shah and other parliamentarians the Supreme Court directed the ECP on Sept 20, 2012 to determine dual nationality of parliamentarians and obtain fresh declarations from them. To avoid false declaration and disqualification, Shah resigned from the assembly on Nov 30, 2012, Buriro claimed.

Buriro also claims that Murad Shah had knowingly lied upon oath at the time of declarations in 2008 polls as well.

He says that the respondent contested by-polls again February 2013 and again filed forms, falsely testifying he was not disqualified under Article 63, despite the fact that he was a Canadian citizen at that time.

Buriro argued that Murad Shah could no longer be considered a person qualified under Article 62’s definitions of “being sagacious, righteous and non-profilgate, honest and ameen”.