UMERKOT: The district returning officer (DRO) has accepted nomination papers of Syed Ameer Ali Shah and his covering candidate Syed Sarfaraz Ali Shah of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), rejecting the papers of Syed Noor Ali Shah, another of his covering candidates, for concealing the district chairmanship.

Arbab Ghulam Rahim, a joint candidate of the Grand Democratic Alliance (GDA) and Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), had raised objections on the nomination papers of Syed Ameer and Syed Sarfaraz

(both members of the district council), and Syed Noor (chairman of the district council) that they were part of the local government, therefore could not contest the by-election to be held on PS-52. It was also stated that they had concealed their assets, details of properties and bank account transactions.

After scrutiny, the DRO accepted the papers of Syed Ameer and Syed Sarfaraz, setting aside the objections on both forms, but rejected the papers of Syed Noor.

Addressing a press conference, Syed Ameer Ali Shah said they had “proofs” against Arbab Ghulam Rahim that he was an employee in a private company of the UAE; they had his payslips, but they believed in defeating opponents through ballots and not through objections.

He said that if the opponents harassed or harmed his voters, he would not sit silent.

On the other hand, addressing a press conference at Malkani House, Arbab Ghulam Rahim said they had taken PPP’s first wicket of Noor Ali Shah; soon other wickets would also be taken.

All the three nomination papers should have been rejected for concealing the facts and assets, but they were surprised as to how the two forms stood accepted while the objections were same, he said.

He said there might have been a phone call from the Sindh government.

He alleged that SSP Aijaz Shaikh was a “henchman” of the PPP.

He said Syed Noor Ali Shah was the chairman of the district council, but concealed his position before the court. He was also an absconder in a case at Hyderabad, he claimed.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2020