QUETTA, May 25 The National Party has challenged the degree of provincial minister Syed Ehsan Shah in the Balochistan High Court, alleging that he submitted a fake degree to the Election Commission.

Addressing a press conference at the party's secretariat on Tuesday, Dr Yasin Baloch of the National Party said the petition was filed in the office of the high court registrar.

He said the petition would come up for preliminary hearing on May 27.

The NP leader claimed that Mr Shah, belonging to the Balochistan National Party (Awami), contested the 2002 and 2008 polls from Turbat on the fake degree.

Dr Yasin said the party did not challenge the fake degree in the 2002 polls because the judiciary was not independent then.