In a significant decision, Pakistan’s Supreme Court overturns lifetime bans on individuals with prior convictions from participating in elections, paving the way for Nawaz Sharif to vie for the prime ministerial position once more.
The ruling, effective immediately, presents Sharif and his party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), with a fresh chance to lead the nation. The upcoming election, scheduled for February 8, positions PML-N as a frontrunner, especially with Sharif’s main rival, former Prime Minister Imran Khan, serving a jail term and barred from electoral participation for five years.
While Sharif, 74, faced a conviction in 2017 for dishonest practices, the Supreme Court’s latest verdict, prompted by a case filed by other banned politicians, deems him eligible as more than five years have elapsed since the conviction.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, in the ruling, states, “It is beyond its scope.”
However, the ruling doesn’t benefit Imran Khan, 71, as it abolishes only lifetime bans, leaving the cricketer-turned-politician disqualified until 2028.
Stay tuned for updates as the political landscape in Pakistan unfolds.
