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Pak Supreme Court restores opposition-dominant regional government

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, April 1, IRNA - The Supreme Court in Pakistan Tuesday restored an opposition-dominant regional government in a visible move of reconciliation process in the country.

The Supreme Court last month ruled that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shehbaz Sharif were disqualified from contesting elections.

Shehbaz Sharif was the Chief Minister of Punjab, the country’s biggest province, when the court announced its verdict, thus ending his government.

Central rule was imposed by President Asif Ali Zardari in Punjab after the Supreme Court verdict, pushing the country to political tension.

A five-member bench of the Supreme Court announced short order, suspending its earlier order of disqualifying him.

The court has not yet announced verdict about Nawaz Sharif and the case is still under review in the Supreme Court.

“We direct that till the final disposal of the main petition under review, the operation on 25.02.2009 judgment shall remain suspended and the petitioner shall assume the office of the chief minister with immediate effect,” the verdict said.

The verdict was announced by Justice Tassaduq Hussain Jilani, head of the five-member bench.