SC disqualifies Sharif brothers

The Supreme Court of Pakistan has disqualified former Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, who heads the country's largest opposition party Pakistan Muslim League (N), and his brother, Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif from contesting elections. The three-member Bench of Supreme Court, headed by Justice Musa K. Laghari, has disposed off Sharif brothers’ electoral eligibility case by declaring them ineligible in its two-line short verdict. Shahbaz Sharif under this verdict has lost his seat in the provincial assembly and being no longer member of the Punjab House, he is no more Punjab chief minister, as SC has annulled the earlier notification about his being chief minister. The Attorney General of Pakistan, Latif Khosa giving his arguments said that Punjab chief secretary and speaker were not the party in the case. Attorney General said that all the judges have taken oaths under the constitution and talking about the oath of the interim constitution was irrelevant. He said that Nawaz Sharif’s proposer and seconder could become parties in the case if the court permits them and their becoming parties was not necessary. He further said that it was the discretion of the judge to withdraw from the Bench and no one could direct him to pull out. Dear readers - we welcome your comments - what far-reaching implications the Supreme Court’s verdict could have on national politics? What could be the future strategy of Sharif brothers after the verdict? What could be the reaction of PML (N) workers over the decision? Will the verdict cause any political chaos in the country and now what would be the future of lawyers’ long march and sit-in?