Despite disqualification, 2 ex-Pakistani premiers seek to join election race

ISLAMABAD

Two former Pakistani premiers on Friday submitted their nomination papers to again seek seats in the parliament despite their disqualification.

Imran Khan’s nomination papers have been submitted by his representative with a returning officer in his home district Mianwali to contest the Feb. 8 election from the National Assembly constituency NA-89 while Nawaz Sharif’s papers have been submitted by his legal team for NA-15 Mansehra of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Suno News, a local broadcaster reported.

Khan, who is currently in jail in the northeastern garrison city of Rawalpindi, was disqualified by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in August for five years following his conviction in a case that accused him of illegally purchasing and selling foreign gifts he received as prime minister.

Khan approached the Islamabad High Court to set aside his disqualification, however, on Thursday high court rejected his plea, blocking his way to contest the upcoming election.

The former cricket star-turned-politician’s legal team is now expected to file an appeal in the Supreme Court to allow Khan to contest the election. Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court also granted bail to Khan and his former Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi in a high-profile state secrets case also known as the cipher case.

Three-time premier Sharif was disqualified by the country’s top court for life in 2017 and later was sentenced in two different cases.

However, Islamabad High Court acquitted him recently in both cases.

Following his latest acquittal, Sharif, although no longer a convict, has to wait for a new order by the Supreme Court of Pakistan that disqualified him for life from holding public office for hiding assets details in 2017.