Nawaz Sharif trips at first poll hurdle
Pakistan electoral authorities on Monday rejected former premier Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers for the January 8 election, dealing a major blow to his comeback bid and raising doubts about president Pervez Musharraf’s pledge to hold free and fa...
By PTI |
LAHORE: Pakistan electoral authorities on Monday rejected former premier Nawaz Sharif’s nomination papers for the January 8 election, dealing a major blow to his comeback bid and raising doubts about president Pervez Musharraf’s pledge to hold free and fair polls.
Additional sessions judge Qamar-uz-Zaman, who is the returning officer, rejected Mr Sharif’s candidacy in view of his conviction in a hijacking case in 2000. Last week his brother Shahbaz’s nomination papers were rejected by the election authorities citing pending criminal charges.
Local PML-N leaders said Mr Sharif is expected to challenge the decision in court. They, however, said their party had little faith in the judiciary comprising judges hand-picked by Mr Musharraf.
Three persons, including PML-Q candidate Khwaja Tahir Zia, had filed objections to the PML-N leader’s nomination. Mr Zia had demanded that Mr Sharif be declared ineligible because of his involvement in the hijacking case. The case relates to Mr Sharif’s alleged efforts in 1999 to turn back a plane that was bringing back Mr Musharraf — then the army chief — from a foreign trip. Mr Musharraf got in touch with army commanders on the ground and organised a coup to depose Mr Sharif.
In 2000, Mr 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.
The returning officer rejected Shahbaz’s nomination papers on Saturday for one parliamentary constituency and two seats of the Punjab Provincial Assembly due to his alleged involvement in the extra-judicial killing of five students in 1998. Mr Shahbaz was the chief minister of Punjab then. His lawyer said the decision would be challenged in court.
Mr Zia had also pointed out that an accountability court had sentenced Mr Sharif to 14 years in jail and barred him from holding public office for 21 years.
Additional sessions judge Qamar-uz-Zaman, who is the returning officer, rejected Mr Sharif’s candidacy in view of his conviction in a hijacking case in 2000. Last week his brother Shahbaz’s nomination papers were rejected by the election authorities citing pending criminal charges.
Local PML-N leaders said Mr Sharif is expected to challenge the decision in court. They, however, said their party had little faith in the judiciary comprising judges hand-picked by Mr Musharraf.
Three persons, including PML-Q candidate Khwaja Tahir Zia, had filed objections to the PML-N leader’s nomination. Mr Zia had demanded that Mr Sharif be declared ineligible because of his involvement in the hijacking case. The case relates to Mr Sharif’s alleged efforts in 1999 to turn back a plane that was bringing back Mr Musharraf — then the army chief — from a foreign trip. Mr Musharraf got in touch with army commanders on the ground and organised a coup to depose Mr Sharif.
In 2000, Mr 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.
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Attorney general Malik Qayyum had said shortly after Mr 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.The returning officer rejected Shahbaz’s nomination papers on Saturday for one parliamentary constituency and two seats of the Punjab Provincial Assembly due to his alleged involvement in the extra-judicial killing of five students in 1998. Mr Shahbaz was the chief minister of Punjab then. His lawyer said the decision would be challenged in court.
Mr Zia had also pointed out that an accountability court had sentenced Mr Sharif to 14 years in jail and barred him from holding public office for 21 years.
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