By KUNA,
Islamabad : Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), partner of Pakistan People Party (PPP) at the center, Tuesday was holding protests to condemn its leader’s disqualification to contest by-elections and also PPP’s U-turn over controversial judges’ reinstatement issue.
Nawaz Sharif, Chief of PML-N, was Monday disqualified by the Lahore High Court (LHC) from contesting by-elections. The decision sparked protests in eastern Punjab province, his party stronghold. There were reports of violence by PML-N activists in several small Punjab cities on Monday night.
Chauhdary Nisar, member of PML-N, addressing the newsmen outside the parliament condemned the court decision and said that they will not repeal the ruling as the judiciary was occupied by pro-Musharraf judges.
He said the decision was politically motivated.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, addressing the lower house of the parliament, announced that the government has requested the Election Commission to delay by-elections and it will challenge the LHC ruling in the Supreme Court. He assured the coalition partner of support, and said that the whole house is disappointed with the LHC decision.
The LHC full bench also declared that an election petition against the candidature of Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif would remain pending, but he would continue to serve as the provincial chief executive until an election tribunal decided about his nomination.
The Sharif brothers have faced legal challenges to their nomination. On May 5, an election tribunal comprising two LHC judges had handed down a split verdict on the objections raised against them. Following the tribunal’s decision, the Election Commission had allowed them to remain in the run.
But Syed Khurram Shah, a voter, and Noor Elahi, an independent candidate against Nawaz Sharif had moved the High Court against the commission’s decision saying that he was a “convict, a dishonest person and a defaulter”.
The government of Sharif brothers in late 1999s was ousted by President Pervez Musharraf. They went into exile for a decade after brokering a deal with Musharraf to avoid arrest at home in number of murder and corruption cases. However, the Supreme Court allowed them return back home after eight years and contest elections.