By Xinhua,
Islamabad : Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani Tuesday said the “whole nation is disappointed over the court decision” to bar former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from taking part in by-elections.
The Lahore High Court Monday disqualified Nawaz Sharif from taking part in the by-elections on vacant seats on June 26 on pleas from rivals that he was convicted of attempted kidnapping and corruption.
Gilani said leaders of his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N)party and the government had decided to file an appeal before the Supreme Court against the decision of the Lahore High Court after having detailed consultations with Nawaz Sharif.
The News Network International news agency quoted Gilani as saying that the government would make request to the Supreme Courtfor postponement of elections where Sharif was contesting elections till the decision of the appeal.
The PML-N said it would not approach the Supreme Court as it considered all judges who were appointed by President Pervez Musharraf in emergency rule in November last year as illegal.
Law Minister Farooq H. Naek told the National Assembly that the federal government would file an appeal against the disqualification Mr. Sharif in Supreme Court on Wednesday, a day before the by-polls.
Lawmakers from Sharif’s party staged walkout of the National Assembly, lower house of the parliament on Tuesday, to protest against the verdict.
The PML-N condemned the court verdict as “politically motivated and conspiracy” to keep Sharif out of the parliament.