Lifetime disqualification case: SHC seeks Sindh CM, ECP's reply in next hearing

KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has expressed outrage over the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) for not submitting response over notice issued in lifetime disqualification case against Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, ARY News reported on Tuesday.

The Sindh High Court (SHC) judge Justice Muhammad Ali Mazhar heard the petition against Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah to declare his lifetime disqualification.

Justice Muhammad Ali Mazar remarked that no one has appeared in the hearing to represent ECP. He ordered ECP and chief minister to submit their replies in the next hearing.

During the hearing, additional advocate general Shehryar Mehar submitted the copies of ruling made by the high court and the Supreme Court (SC).

Read: Supreme Court dismisses plea seeking disqualification of Sindh CM

He told the court that the top court had given clean chit to Murad Ali Shah over surrendering the dual-nationality case after he grabbed the electoral victim in 2014’s by-election and 2018’s general election. The nomination papers of Murad Ali Shah had also been challenged in the court before the commencement of the election, however, the election tribunal rejected the pleas against him, he added.

The petition against the Sindh chief minister stated that Shah had been disqualified by the Supreme Court (SC) on May 2 – 2013 but he contested by-election in 2014 from Jamshoro. The petitioner sought the high court to disqualify Murad Ali Shah for a lifetime.

Later, the SHC judge adjourned the hearing for an indefinite period and orders Sindh chief minister and ECP to submit a response.