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Pakistan seeks reverse of court verdict against opposition leader

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 20, IRNA - Pakistani’s government Thursday filed a petition in the Supreme Court, seeking review of the apex court’s verdict to disqualify former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting elections, the Attorney General said.

The Supreme Court disqualified Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif from holding any public office, the decision promoting strong condemnation from the opposition parties.

Sharif had accused President Asif Zardari of asking the Supreme Court to disqualify him, the charge denied by the President office.

The federal government filed four appeals in the apex court and the Attorney General said that an application has sought early hearing of the petitions.

“This is in fulfillment of the commitment made by Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani in his address to the nation on Monday last,” Attorney General Sardar Latif Khosa said.

He said it has been prayed to the court to hear the petitions Friday or at an earliest possible date. “It is prerogative of the Chief Justice to fix a date for the hearing”.

To another question he said notices for hearing would be issued to all respondents but it is upto them to appear or not before the court.

Meanwhile Nawaz Sharif convened a meeting of his legal experts on Thursday to discuss options how to proceed with the review petitions in the court.

Sharif had earlier refused to appear in the court as he was saying that the judges had expressed loyalty to former President Pervez Musharraf when he appointed these judges in emergency rule in 2007.

The government restored the deposed Chief Justice and 10 other judges this week after Sharif led a huge long-march to call for their restoration.