M A I N   N E W S

Sharifs can contest polls: SC
Afzal Khan writes from Islamabad

In a landmark judgement of far-reaching political implications, a larger bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif eligible to seek any elective public office.

Supporters of opposition leader Nawaz Sharif celebrate after the Supreme Court decision in Islamabad on Tuesday. — AP/PTI

The five-judge court led by Justice Tsaddaq Hussain Gilani overruled an earlier verdict of March 25 last by a 3-member bench disqualifying both brothers from contesting elections. The brief judgement announced by Justice Gilani was unanimously concurred by all five judges, including Justice Moosa K. Lashari and Justice Shaikh Hakim Ali who were part of the earlier bench that had disqualified Sharifs. Two others on the larger bench included Justice Nasrul Mulk and Justice Ghulam Rabbani.

The court ruling was widely acclaimed by political and legal circles in the country. Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani called up Sharif brothers to congratulate them. Nawaz Sharif described the verdict as outcome of restoration of independent judges due to unprecedented struggle by the people of Pakistan.

“No system can survive that is not based on justice and that is possible when judges are free and independent,” he said adding that former military dictator Gen Pervez Musharraf, who had contrived his disqualification, had subjugated the judiciary.

Workers of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) celebrated the verdict in major cities by holding rallies and distributing sweets. “It is a historic judgement," eminent jurist and senior vice-president of the rival faction of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-Q), S.M. Zafar, said while dwelling on its wide-ranging impact on national politics.

“The judgement brings Sharif brothers at par with other politicians of the country after removal of ban on contesting elections. Both leaders now have a level playing field which in turn would reshape our political landscape," Zafar said.

The court ruled in favour of Sharifs' eligibility on review petitions filed by them. The Sharifs had refused to appear before the previous bench saying its members had taken oath under General Musharraf's Provisional Constitution Order.

Nawaz Sharif had been disqualified on the basis of punishment awarded by an anti-terrorism court on charge of ordering the hijacking of a PIA plane on October 12, 1999, in which the then army chief Gen Musharraf was returning from Colombo. Sharif had sacked Musharraf but army generals loyal to Musharraf had toppled the Sharif government.