Pakistan Supreme Court rules ousted PM Sharif cannot lead his party

Pakistan Supreme Court rules ousted PM Sharif cannot lead his party

Context:

Pakistan’s Supreme Court has ordered that ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif be removed as head of the political party he founded

Details

The decision has come six months after the court disqualified him as the Pakistan’s Prime Minister over unreported income.

Nawaz Sharif is also being tried by a separate anti-corruption court on other charges – proceedings ordered by the Supreme Court last July

What could be the impact of the ruling?

• The new ruling could throw into disarray Senate elections due on March 3, with opposition figures saying it invalidates candidates from the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) nominated by Mr. Sharif.
• The PML-N controls the lower house of parliament. Winning control of the Senate too would allow the PML-N to change the constitution to make Nawaz Sharif eligible to hold office again when the party contests a national election due later this year.
• The Supreme Court order has overturned a legal amendment by PML-N lawmakers allowing Nawaz Sharif to remain party president despite being disqualified from public office by the Supreme Court