Pakistan

Supreme Court lifts ban on former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif

Article published on the 2009-05-26 Latest update 2009-05-26 13:06 TU

Nawaz Sharif
(Photo: Reuters)

Pakistan’s Supreme Court lifted a ban on opposition leader and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif holding office and taking part in elections on Tuesday. The court revoked the order disqualifying Both Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz, according to their lawyer. Hundreds of Sharif’s supporters gathered outside the Islamabad courtroom to celebrate the court’s decision.

They expect Nawaz Sharif, as popular leader of the Muslim League-N party, to participate in future elections.

The Supreme Court decision comes as the conclusion to Sharif’s year-long battle in favour of the sixty judges sacked under President Musharraf's emergency rule in November 2007.

The 25 February Supreme Court decision to disqualify Sharif led him to plan a mass protest in Islamabad in March. Under pressure, the government appealed against the ban and agreed to reinstate Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, one of Sharif’s main demands.

Zardari's Pakistan People's Party won elections in February last year, months after the assassination of his wife Benazir Bhutto, but his popularity declined as he appeared to backtrack on promises to reinstate Chaudhry.