Pak Supreme Court verdict disqualifying Nawaz Sharif a joke, says his party

Nawaz Sharif's party has called the Supreme Court verdict against the former Pakistan Prime Minister a "joke". The Pakistan Supreme Court, in a landmark judgement, disqualified Sharif from holding office for life while hearing a case related to determination of time duration for disqualification of a lawmaker under the Constitution. Sharif, facing corruption charges, was disqualified under Article 62 (1)(f) of Pakistan's Constitution.

"This is the same decision that led to the hanging of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and to the assassination of Benazir Bhutto," PML-N leader and State Minister for Information Maryam Aurangzeb said.

"This joke has already been played on previous premiers and all 17 prime ministers of Pakistan have faced a similar fate," she added.

Article 62(1)(f) of Pakistan's Constitution specifies that a person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) "unless he is sagacious, righteous, non-profligate, honest and ameen, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law".

Friday's ruling addressed an ambiguity over Sharif's disqualification and whether he was barred from office for life or a specific period.

"None of the learned counsels, who appeared before us, confronted the elephant in the room i.e. the obvious interpretation of Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution is that lack of the qualification to a Member is the effect of declaration by a Court of Law, which is the cause and period of lack of qualification would be co-extensive with the period to the cause i.e. declaration," the Pakistan Supreme Court said in its judgement.

"...this Court on more than one occasions has already held that lack of qualification suffered under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution is in perpetuity," the Supreme Court said.

Article 62 is the same provision under which Sharif, 68, was disqualified in July last year in the Panama Papers case. He resigned as prime minister in July last after his disqualification.

Three cases were registered against Sharif, his children and son-in-law in the court on September 8. His family, however, alleges that the cases are politically motivated.