Sharif ready to stand in next elections

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif is likely to contest elections from Lahore after the Supreme Court lifted a ban barring him from electoral politics.

The Pakistan Muslim League – N (PML N) chief will now be able to contest general elections due in 2013 or in a parliamentary by-election before then following the court’s decision yesterday.

“The judiciary has now started giving popular decision,” Mr Sharif said. “I salute the Pakistani people who got the judiciary free.”

A PML-N spokesman today said that the party was happy with the judgement of the Supreme Court.

“Nawaz Sharif is likely to contest elections from Lahore and, God willing, he will become an MP,” Mr Farooque said. “Due to the Supreme Court decision, he will now be able to play his role in Pakistan.”

He added that Mr Sharif, who is also the opposition leader, has emerged as a statesman after calling off the Long March protest earlier this year and one of his main aims now is to ensure that the 17th amendment to the country’s constitution is repealed.

“He wants to ensure the sovereignty of the parliament and the revival of the parliamentary system. There should be a balance of powers between the president and the prime minister and his parliament.

“The powers gained by (Pervez) Musharraf increased the powers of the president. Mr Sharif wants to ensure that the 17th amendment to the constitution is repealed,” Mr Farooq added.

The 17th amendment was passed in December 2003 making significant changes to Pakistan’s constitution, many dealing with the office of the president. Opponents believed it was this development that lead to former president Pervez Musharraf exercising dictatorial leadership in the country.

Mr Sharif was banned nine years ago from standing for elections after Mr Musharraf sent him into exile in Saudi Arabia. He returned to Pakistan in 2007 but was not allowed to contest last year’s parliamentary elections.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled that he was not eligible to stand for office following which Mr Sharif lead protests across the country against President Asif Ali Zardari.

Most of the civil and criminal cases pending against Mr Sharif and his brother Shahbaz stand overturned after yesterday’s ruling but a 1999 case of “hijacking” against Nawaz Sharif still stands between him and the possibility of becoming the prime ministerial once again.

This case, where he allegedly tried to prevent Mr Musharraf from returning to Pakistan by ordering the pilot of his aircraft not to land, is also expected to be overturned soon and will not prevent him from returning to active politics.

Mr Sharif has been the prime minister of Pakistan twice – from 1990 to 1993 and again from 1997 to 1999.