The election officials in eastern Pakistan's Lahore city on
Monday disqualified former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to stand in
the upcoming parliamentary elections, the News Network
International news agency reported.
The election officials rejected the nomination papers of Nawaz
Sharif on the grounds that Sharif was convicted in corruption cases
in 2000 and that a convict person can not stand in the
elections.
Sharif can file an appeal against the rejection of his
nomination papers before Dec. 7, said the report. Sharif had
registered himself with the elections officials to contest polls on
a National Assembly seat in Lahore.
According to a schedule unveiled by the Election Commission of
Pakistan, a final list of eligible candidates will be made public
on Dec. 16.
Sharif, top leader of the opposition Pakistan Muslim
League-Nawaz (PML-N), will hold a meeting with another major
opposition party People's Party (PPP), led by former prime minister
Benazir Bhutto in a bid to convince the latter to join the
opposition parties' boycott of the general elections.
Talking to reporters here, Sharif said he would work for the
restoration of judiciary even if his nomination papers were
rejected 10 times.
The All Parties Democratic Movement, an alliance of over 30
opposition parties including PML-N announced on Nov. 29 that they
would, in principle, boycott the general elections, which are
scheduled to be held on Jan. 8, 2008.
The meeting between Sharif and Bhutto will likely work out a
final decision of the opposition parties for the general elections,
the report said.
(Xinhua News Agency December 4, 2007)
