Lahore, December 3
The electoral authorities today rejected former premier Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers for the January 8 election, dealing a major blow to his comeback bid in Pakistan politics. Additional Sessions Judge Qamar-uz-Zaman, who is the returning officer, rejected Sharif’s candidacy in view of his conviction in a hijacking case in 2000. Interestingly, last week his brother Shahbaz’s nomination papers were rejected by the election authorities citing pending criminal charges.

Local PML-N leaders said Sharif was expected to challenge the decision in court. They, however, said their party had little faith in the judiciary comprising judges handpicked by Musharraf.

Three persons, including PML-Q candidate Khwaja Tahir Zia, had filed objections to the PML-N leader’s nomination.

Zia had demanded that Sharif be declared ineligible because of his involvement in the hijacking case. The case relates to Sharif’s alleged efforts in 1999 to turn back a plane that was bringing back Musharraf-then the army chief-from a foreign trip. Musharraf got in touch with army commanders on the ground and organised a coup to depose Sharif.

In 2000, Sharif was convicted for hijacking and given a life imprisonment term. He later went into exile to Saudi Arabia in exchange for the dropping of his prison term. Attorney General Malik Qayyum had said shortly after Sharif’s return to Pakistan from exile last month that he was not likely to be allowed to contest the polls in view of his conviction.

Earlier, Shahbaz’s papers were rejected on Saturday due to his alleged involvement in the extra-judicial killing of five students in 1998. — PTI