The Hindu : Front Page : Sharif’s nomination rejected

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Tuesday, Dec 04, 2007
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Sharif’s nomination rejected

Nirupama Subramanian

— PHOTO: AFP

CALLING FOR BOYCOTT:The former Prime Ministers of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, held a meeting to discuss elections, in Islamabad on Monday night. Mr. Sharif reportedly met his political rival to persuade her to boycott the upcoming general election, hours after his nomination papers were rejected by poll officials due to his conviction on terrorism charges in 2000.

ISLAMABAD: A returning officer in Lahore rejected the nomination paper of the former Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, for the January 8 election, upholding a rival candidate’s objections that he was convicted of hijacking and terrorism charges relating to his futile effort to prevent the October 1999 coup against him.

Mr. Sharif said he would not appeal against the disqualification. “Even if my nomination is rejected hundred times, each time I will stand shoulder to shoulder to the people to serve them.”

“A mockery”

The PML(N), which Mr. Sharif leads, described it as a “mockery” of a free and fair election. The so-called plane hijack case relates to Mr. Sharif’s orders to disallow a flight carrying President Pervez Musharraf, then the Army chief, from landing in Pakistan. The incident took place when a military coup against Mr. Sharif was on.

Life sentence

Sentenced to life in 2000, he exchanged it for a 10-year-exile from Pakistan. Government legal officials have said his early return meant the pardon is no longer valid.

The PML(N) announced a boycott of the election last week. Mr. Sharif’s final decision may depend on the outcome of his meeting with Ms. Bhutto, determined not to leave the field open to other parties.

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