SC ‘bars’ Sharif from holding office for life

Military denies intervention

ISLAMABAD/KARACHI, April 14, (Agencies): Pakistan’s Supreme Court disqualified deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif from holding office for life on Friday amid an ongoing corruption trial and ahead of general elections due this year.

The Supreme Court barred Sharif, 67, from politics in July over an undeclared source of income, but the veteran leader maintains his grip on the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PMLN) party, even though he is no longer its leader.

Friday’s ruling addressed an ambiguity over whether he was barred for life or for a specific period for not being honest.

The ruling was an interpretation of a constitutional article that has been used to remove legislators from office before, a senior lawyer said.

Sharif and his family have called the corruption proceedings a conspiracy, hinting at intervention by the military, but opponents have hailed them as a rare example of the rich and powerful being held accountable. The military denies any such intervention.

Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb told reporters “nameless and faceless people” had interfered to orchestrate Sharif’s political demise and the downfall of the PML-N.

“Now today they disqualified (Sharif) for life. But people of Pakistan will decide whether the disqualification of an elected prime minister is for one day or for life,” she added.

Sharif is currently appearing before an accountability court in Islamabad on other charges linked to London properties his family owns — proceedings ordered by the Supreme Court last July — that could see him jailed if found guilty.

Family members of a young Pakistani man killed by a US diplomat in a road accident have rallied in the capital, Islamabad, asking the government to ensure that justice is done.

Friday’s rally was held near the Islamabad road where 22-year-old Ateeq

Baig was killed and another person was injured when the US military attaché

Col Joseph Emanuel Hall allegedly ran a red light and hit his motorcycle last week.

Baig’s father Mohammad Idrees took part in the rally. He says so far, no US Embassy official has visited his home for condolences.

Pakistan has already lodged a formal protest with US Ambassador David

Hale, who expressed sympathy for the victims’ families and assured cooperation with the investigation.