The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Friday disqualified Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding office for life. This was stated by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf.
A spokesman of Prime Minister House said that Mr. Sharif resigned following the judgment despite having reservations on the verdict.
Following the judgment, the Pakistan Cabinet stands dissolved.
It was a majority 5-0 decision by a Bench of the court headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa and comprising Justices Ejaz Afzal, Gulzar Ahmed, Azmat Saeed and Ejazul Ahsan.
The judges ruled that the Prime Minister was dishonest to Parliament and courts and could not be deemed fit for his office.
Pakistan Finance Minister Ishaq Dar was also disqualified by the court
The judges ruled on a petition from Opposition leader Imran Khan. On April 20, two judges declared that Mr. Sharif was not truthful.
The court has recommended that all material collected by the Joint Investigation Team would be sent to an accountability court within six weeks, and that cases would be opened against Mr. Sharif and his children, Maryam, Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, and son-in-law Captain Safdar. A judgment should be announced within 30 days, it said.
One judge will oversee the implementation of this order.
This is the third time Mr. Sharif has been unable to complete his term in the chief executive's office. He was dismissed on July 18, 1993 and overthrown the second time on October 12, 1999 in a military coup.
You have reached your limit for free articles this month.
Subscription Benefits Include
Today's Paper
Find mobile-friendly version of articles from the day's newspaper in one easy-to-read list.
Unlimited Access
Enjoy reading as many articles as you wish without any limitations.
Personalised recommendations
A select list of articles that match your interests and tastes.
Faster pages
Move smoothly between articles as our pages load instantly.
Dashboard
A one-stop-shop for seeing the latest updates, and managing your preferences.
Briefing
We brief you on the latest and most important developments, three times a day.
Support Quality Journalism.
*Our Digital Subscription plans do not currently include the e-paper, crossword and print.
A letter from the Editor
Dear subscriber,
Thank you!
Your support for our journalism is invaluable. It’s a support for truth and fairness in journalism. It has helped us keep apace with events and happenings.
The Hindu has always stood for journalism that is in the public interest. At this difficult time, it becomes even more important that we have access to information that has a bearing on our health and well-being, our lives, and livelihoods. As a subscriber, you are not only a beneficiary of our work but also its enabler.
We also reiterate here the promise that our team of reporters, copy editors, fact-checkers, designers, and photographers will deliver quality journalism that stays away from vested interest and political propaganda.
Suresh Nambath
Please Email the Editor