Former PM out of Pakistan election race
Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif lost his appeal against the rejection of his nomination for next month’s parliamentary elections, an official said today.
The move eliminates one of Pakistan’s key opposition leaders from the crucial vote.
The Election Commission rejected Mr Sharif’s appeal yesterday, commission spokesman Kanwar Dilshad said.
The chief election commissioner also rejected a separate appeal by Mr Sharif’s politician brother, Shahbaz Sharif, against rejection of his nomination for the January 8 balloting, Mr Dilshad said.
Mr Dilshad declined to give details, confirming only a report in the Urdu-language Jang daily that the Sharifs were out of the elections.
Mr Sharif has demanded that President Pervez Musharraf restore judges he sacked during a state of emergency that he lifted over the weekend.
