[ad_1]
A national spokesman said Pakistan’s National Assembly had passed legislation to limit how long MPs can be disqualified from office. At this point, exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif can return to politics. Nawaz Sharif served as Pakistan’s prime minister three times after he was ousted in 2017 over corruption allegations. The country’s highest court subsequently banned him from politics for life. He was later sentenced to seven years in prison.
In 2019, Nawaz Sharif was released on medical bail. He then flew to the UK, where he has since remained, continuing to lead his party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party. His brother Sheikh Baz Sharif became prime minister last year and the country is due to hold new general elections this year.
On Tuesday, a government spokesman said the amendments state that courts can only disqualify MPs “for a period not exceeding five years”. Senate President Sadiq Sanjrani signed the bill as acting president in the absence of President Arif Alvi.
“The ruling Muslim League and its coalition partners want Nawaz Sharif back,” political analyst Hassan Askari told AFP.
“The bill has been passed to achieve this. Nawaz Sharif will be the main contender for the Muslim League-Sharif faction in the next election,” he added.
“His return would be very helpful to the party politically, but it is unclear whether he himself will run for election,” he continued.
Nawaz Sharif still faces a graft case he was sentenced during the tenure of Imran Khan, who was ousted by Shebaz Sharif in a vote of no confidence last April. Imran Khan has been calling for early elections as he remains popular in the countdown to the vote, but his campaign has been mired in a legal case.
[ad_2]
Source link