This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7469755.stm
The article has changed 3 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Sharif barred from Pakistan poll | Sharif barred from Pakistan poll |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been barred from running in a parliamentary by-election this week. | Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been barred from running in a parliamentary by-election this week. |
| The high court in the city of Lahore upheld an earlier ruling that Mr Sharif was ineligible to stand because of a 1999 court conviction. | The high court in the city of Lahore upheld an earlier ruling that Mr Sharif was ineligible to stand because of a 1999 court conviction. |
| Earlier this month the country's election commission had appeared to clear him to take part. | Earlier this month the country's election commission had appeared to clear him to take part. |
| Correspondents say Monday's ruling is a major political setback for Mr Sharif. It is not clear whether he will appeal. | |
| Hijacking | Hijacking |
| "The decision is based on conspiracy. It's a political decision," a spokesman for Mr Sharif's PLM-N party, Siddiqul Farooq, told Reuters news agency. | "The decision is based on conspiracy. It's a political decision," a spokesman for Mr Sharif's PLM-N party, Siddiqul Farooq, told Reuters news agency. |
| The PML-N emerged as the second largest party in general elections in February that saw President Musharraf's allies routed. | The PML-N emerged as the second largest party in general elections in February that saw President Musharraf's allies routed. |
| Neither Mr Sharif nor Pakistan's other top politician, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari, ran. | |
| Mr Sharif was barred from standing because he had been convicted over the 1999 hijacking of a plane carrying then army chief Gen Musharraf. | Mr Sharif was barred from standing because he had been convicted over the 1999 hijacking of a plane carrying then army chief Gen Musharraf. |
| The alleged hijacking was part of events which led to Gen Musharraf ousting Mr Sharif in a coup. | The alleged hijacking was part of events which led to Gen Musharraf ousting Mr Sharif in a coup. |
| Earlier in June, it appeared the election commission had cleared the way for the former premier to stand in the by-election, but court petitions were subsequently lodged challenging his nomination. | Earlier in June, it appeared the election commission had cleared the way for the former premier to stand in the by-election, but court petitions were subsequently lodged challenging his nomination. |
| The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says Mr Sharif's position is complicated because he does not recognise the country's senior judiciary. | |
| Mr Sharif says the judges were unconstitutionally appointed after President Musharraf sacked their predecessors during emergency rule late last year. | |
| If he goes to the Supreme Court he will be seen as legitimising the judges, who may in any event turn down his appeal, our correspondent says. | |
| The PML-N is likely to increase pressure on the PPP to reinstate the sacked judges, putting further strain on their post-election alliance. | |
| Seats | Seats |
| Eight national assembly seats and 30 provincial ones will be contested on 26 June. | Eight national assembly seats and 30 provincial ones will be contested on 26 June. |
| They are being held for a number of reasons. | They are being held for a number of reasons. |
| Votes in some seats were postponed because of security concerns, in others because candidates had died, and in several more because candidates were successful in more than one constituency. | Votes in some seats were postponed because of security concerns, in others because candidates had died, and in several more because candidates were successful in more than one constituency. |
| In that instance, they must choose which seat to represent, prompting by-elections elsewhere. | In that instance, they must choose which seat to represent, prompting by-elections elsewhere. |