Nawaz Sharif
Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif, (Punjabi, Urdu: میاں محمد نواز شریف) (born 25 December 1949 in Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan) is also a Pakistani businessman. He was twice elected as the 12th Prime Minister of Pakistan, serving two non-consecutive terms, the first from 1 November 1990 to 18 July 1993 and the second from 17 February 1997 to 12 October 1999. His party is the Pakistan Muslim League (N) (Nawaz group). He is best known internationally for ordering Pakistan's 1998 nuclear tests in response to India’s nuclear tests,[1] and the abrupt end of his final term in a dramatic standoff.
Early life
Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif was born in Lahore on 25 December 1949.[2] He is the eldest son of a Kashmiri, named Mian Muhammad Sharif, a joint owner of the Ittefaq Group of Industries. His mother’s family was a prominent wrestler family in the Kashmir valley though it migrated to Punjab.. His father, Muhammad Sharif, was from a village in what is now the Indian state of Punjab called Jati Umra, near Amritsar also migrated from Kashmir. He migrated in 1947 to Pakistan, during the partition. Muhammad Sharif was a businessman and built the Ittefaq Group of Industries in Zia era.Nawaz Sharif was educated at St. Anthony's High School. After graduating from Government College Lahore he obtained his Law Degree from the Punjab University. Following his education, he entered Punjab provincial politics, joining the Punjab advisory council. He became finance minister of Punjab in 1981 and also served as minister of sports. He was credited with increasing funding for sports activities and rural projects.[3]
Nawaz was a cricketer during his early life, and played a first class game in the 1973-74 season representing Pakistan Railways. He also played a side match against West Indies when he was prime minister.
He married Kulsoom Nawaz, who is the grand-niece of the great wrestler Gama.
| In office 17 February 1997 – 12 October 1999 | |
| President | Farooq Leghari Wasim Sajjad |
|---|---|
| Preceded by | Malik Meraj Khalid (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Pervez Musharraf (Acting) |
| In office 26 May 1993 – 18 July 1993 | |
| President | Ghulam Ishaq Khan |
| Preceded by | Balakh Sher Mazari (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Moeenuddin Ahmad Qureshi (Acting) |
| In office 6 November 1990 – 18 April 1993 | |
| President | Ghulam Ishaq Khan |
| Preceded by | Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Balakh Sher Mazari (Acting) |
| | |
| Born | 25 December 1949 Lahore, Pakistan |
| Political party | Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz |
| Alma mater | Government College University University of the Punjab |
| Religion | Sunni Islam |
Political Life
Nawaz Sharif started his political life when Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was in power, as a provincial minister in the Punjab government of Ghulam Jilani Khan. After the 1985 election, he became Chief Minister of Punjab. Due to his abilities and mostly supervision (by military and civil) establishment, he filled the gap in Pakistani politics and proved one of the most popular political leader in the history of Pakistan.Chief Minister of Punjab
He served as a Chief Minister of the largest Province of Punjab for two consective terms:
* 1st term started from 1985 to 1988 till the death of General Zia.
* 2nd term lasted until mid-1990, when after the general election he became Prime Minister of Pakistan.
Prime minister
First termSharif first became Prime Minister on 1 November 1990, running on a conservative platform and vowing to end to corruption.[3] During his first term, Sharif focused upon improving the infrastructure of the country, and introduced digital telecommunication in the country for the first time. He privatiwsed government banks which opened the gate not only for private banks but also privatisation of government industry. This positive action was even followed by Benazir Bhutto whose father Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had nationalized the blooming industry of Pakistan during his tenure as Prime Minister (1973–1977).
For the first time in the history of Pakistan, he also allowed foreign money exchange to be transacted through private money exchangers. Before that one could have bought foreign exchange only from government bank not exceeding the amount of 1000 USD. This was of immense benefit to the common people as a high percentage of the population has relatives living abroad and usually also receive remittances from abroad.
His government was sacked on 18 April 1993, when President Ghulam Ishaq Khan used the reserve powers vested in him by the Eighth Amendment to dissolve the National Assembly on charges of corruption, nepotism, extrajudicial killings, taking political revenge and victimisation of opponents, appointing Mir Balakh Sher Mazari as the caretaker prime minister. Six weeks later, the Supreme Court of Pakistan ruled that the Presidential order was unconstitutional, reconstituted the National Assembly and returned Sharif to power on 26 May. The Pakistan Army stepped in asking Sharif to resign, but negotiated a settlement that resulted in Sharif and President Ghulam Ishaq Khan resigning on 18 July 1993. Moin Qureshi became caretaker prime minister, and was succeeded shortly thereafter by Benazir Bhutto who was elected to office on 19 October 1993.
Second term
Sharif was re-elected Prime Minister in 1997.[4]
In August 1997, Sharif signed the Anti-Terrorist Act which established Anti Terrorism Courts (ATC). The act was judged in 1998 unconstitutional by the Supreme Court (Merham Ali vs Pakistan).
Sharif's relationship with MQM, the party that was in alliance with Sharif in forming the provincial government in Sindh, worsened because of Hakim Said's murder.[citation needed] Sharif ordered the dissolution of the provincial assembly in Sindh, and an order imposing Governor's Rule in Sindh No. 8-1/98-Min-I was issued on 30 October 1998 and published in Gazette of Pakistan, Extraordinary.
U.S. Defense Secretary, William S. Cohen, with Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, at the Pentagon, 3 December 1998.
Relations with the military
Nawaz Sharif principally rose to prominence as a staunch proponent of the military government of President Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq during the 1980s, especially maintaining ties with Lieutenant General Jilani and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee Rahimuddin Khan. His political career was further facilitated by the military's tilt towards his right-wing inclinations. Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Director-General Hamid Gul played a substantial role in the formation of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad, the conservative political alliance that brought Sharif to power in 1990.[citation needed]
Naseerullah Babar, the Interior Minister in the PPP government had disclosed in the National Assembly in 1994 how the ISI had disbursed a lot of money to purchase the loyalty of various right wing politicians, including that of Nawaz Sharif and public figures, in order to manipulate the 1990 elections, form the Islamic Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI- Pakistan democratic alliance), and bring about the defeat of the PPP.[citation needed] In 1996, Air Marshal Asghar Khan filed a human rights petition in the Supreme Court against the former chief of army staff and the former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, and a banker concerning the criminal distribution of the people's money for political purposes (HRC 19/96). In this case, Lt General Naseerullah Babar filed an affidavit in court supported by copies of various documents. The case is lying pending in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
In 1996, Air Marshal Asghar Khan filed a human rights petition in the Supreme Court against the former chief of army staff and the former chief of the Inter-Services Intelligence, and a banker concerning the criminal distribution of the people's money for political purposes (HRC 19/96). In this case, Lt General Naseerullah Babar filed an affidavit in court supported by copies of various documents. The case is pending in the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
During Sharif's first term as prime minister, he fell out with three successive army chiefs: with General Mirza Aslam Beg over the 1991 Gulf War issue, with General Asif Nawaz over the Sindh "Operation Clean-Up" issue, and with General Abdul Waheed Kakar over the Sharif-Ishaq Imbroglio.
During his second tenure, he fell out with two other generals: General Karamat over the National Security Council, and later with General Musharraf when Nawaz did not allow an airplane carrying 180 passengers to land.
It was under Abdul Waheed Kakar that Nawaz Sharif along with the then President of Pakistan Ghulam Ishaq Khan were forced to resign in 1992-93.[citation needed] At the end of General Waheed’s three-year term in January 1996, General Jehangir Karamat was appointed army chief. His term was due to end on 9 January 1999. In October 1998, however, Sharif fell out with General Karamat over the latter’s advocacy of the need for the creation of a "National Security Council". Sharif believed this to be a conspiracy to return the military to a more active role in Pakistani politics. Before that Sharif dismissed the Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Mansur Ul Haq.
In October 1998, General Karamat resigned and Sharif appointed General Pervez Musharraf as army chief. General Jehangir Karamat was seen by many as a straight person who compromised himself and stood for the wishes of the Prime Minister.[citation needed] Sharif later regreted appointing Pervez Musharraf to the Chief of Army position, as Musharraf led a coup to topple Sharif's government.
Both Nisar Khan, a Nawaz league leader whose brother was defence secretary, and Shehbaz Sharif claim they arranged Musharraf's appointment.[citation needed] Nisar was later interned.
1998 Pakistan's nuclear tests
Pakistan's nuclear tests were perhaps an important turning point in Sharif's political career. Pakistan carried out its successful nuclear tests on 28 May 1998, and on 30 May 1998, in response to the Indian detonation of five nuclear devices roughly two weeks before. When India tested its nuclear arsenal a second time, it caused a great alarm in Pakistan. It goes to Nawaz Sharif's credit that he resisted immense pressure personally by the then President of the USA, Bill Clinton, which also included a hefty amount transfer offer in Nawaz Sharif's personal account. He held a secret meeting with Pakistani nuclear scientists and it was decided there to conduct country's first nuclear tests.[citation needed] Nawaz also high-alerted Pakistan Armed Forces in order to defend country's nuclear installations.
On 28 May 1998, the Nawaz government justified the tests on national security grounds, as they demonstrated Pakistan's nuclear deterrent capabilities against an armed Indian nuclear program. Under Nawaz Sharif's leadership, Pakistan became the first Islamic country and seventh nation to become a [[nuclear power].
The Nawaz Government proclaimed an emergency on the same day as these nuclear tests were conducted. All fundamental rights were suspended and all the foreign currency accounts in Pakistani banks were frozen to minimize the effects of economic sanctions. This move was not welcomed by all sections of depositors and further deteriorated the investors' and people's confidence.
The Lahore Declaration
In 1999, Nawaz Sharif met with Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the Wagah border and a joint communique, known as the Lahore Declaration, was signed between the two leaders.[5]
Kargil Conflict
Nawaz Sharif was Prime Minister during the Kargil War in 1999,when then Chief of Army staff Pervaiz Muharraf planned Kargil adventure just show his interference on government' authority. Sharif always claimed to have no knowledge of the planned attacks, saying that Pervez Musharraf acted alone. He ordered the withdraw under American pressure.[6]
Proposition of an Islamic society based on the Quran
On 29 August 1998 then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif proposed a law to create an Islamic order in Pakistan and establish a legal system based on the Quran and the Sunnat.[7] Sharif told Pakistanis that the proposed Shariat Bill was a charter of duties and not power. This came a week after Sharif informally announced the measure during the commemoration the late President Zia ul-Haq's 10-year death anniversary on 17 August. On 8 October 1998 Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif presented the Shariat Bill in the National Assembly. The Cabinet decided to present the bill on 9 October, after removing some of its controversial aspects.[8][9] Had he succeeded, the existing civil code would have been replaced by the Sharia, and Nawaz Sharif would have been declared the Amir-ul-Momineen, or Commander of the Faithful, an archaic caliphate-era title that would have given him absolute power.[10]
The Pakistani government approved and passed the bill on 10 October 1998. After the vote, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif said: "I congratulate the nation on the passage of the bill which will help create a truly Islamic system". The amendment, which was passed by the National Assembly by 151 votes to 16, was then passed to the upper house of parliament for a final vote.[11] Two-thirds majority was needed for passage in the Senate, the upper chamber. On 16 January 1999 the Nawaz Sharif Government imposed Islamic law in the traditional tribal areas of the north-west straddling the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, vowing to impose it throughout the country.[12] However, the amendment failed in the senate and before Nawaz Sharif recovered from that setback, his government was summarily dismissed by a military coup.
Alleged Connections
A former notorious ISI officer Khalid Khwaja alleged baseless that the Ex-Premier Nawaz Sharif had met al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden for receiving funds from him during Afghan Soviet war. It is also been alleged that in late 1980’s Osama Bin Laden played a vital role of introducing Nawaz Sharif with the royal family of Saudi Arabia –.[13] According to FBI agent Jack Cloonan, in 1999, imprisoned double agent Ali Mohamed will tell Cloonan that he helped arrange a meeting between bin Laden and representatives of Nawaz Sharif, who is prime minister of Pakistan from 1990 through 1993 and again from 1996 to 1999. Mohamed claims that after the meeting he delivered $1 million to Sharif’s representatives as a tribute to Sharif for “not cracking down on the Taliban as it flourished in Afghanistan and influenced the Northwest Frontier Province during Afghan Soviet war, in Pakistan.[14][15] It is alleged that Nawaz Sharif met Osama Bin Laden three times.
Military coup
On 12 October 1999, Sharif tried to removed Musharraf as the army chief and appoint another general Ziauddin Butt in his place. Musharraf, who was in Sri Lanka, boarded a commercial airliner to return to Pakistan. Sharif (as alleged by military generals who already planned to topple Sharif government) ordered the Karachi airport sealed off to prevent the landing of the airliner, and ordered it to land at another Nawab Shah Airport, but Musharraf contacted (his alleged partners)top army generals who took over the country and ousted Sharif's administration.With the paasage of time it is proved now, coup was planned many week earliar,when Nawaz Sharif got the knowledge of conspiracy,Military generals concocted false allegation to throw democratic government. Musharraf later assumed control of the government as Chief Executive.[17]conviction by Court
In a military Coup,Nawaz Sharif government was toppled and he was arrested and was convicted of concocted charges by corrupt judge appointed by then dictator, of hijacking of plane of Army chief,after he allegedly tried to block Pervez Musharraf from landing his plane in Karachi at Karachi Airport, in lieu of dismissing him from his post as Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army.[18] He was acquitted in 2009 of all baseless charges of hijacking by Supreme Court of Pakistan with honour.
Return to Pakistan in 2007 after forced Exile
On 7 September 2007, Justice Shabbir Hussain Chatha ordered police to arrest Shahbaz Sharif, brother of Nawaz Sharif and produce him before the court, after the hearing in Lahore. The court ruled that "Shahbaz Sharif should be arrested (at) whichever airport he lands at". Nawaz Sharif also faced detention on the pair's planned return from exile to Pakistan on 10 September 2007, to challenge President Pervez Musharraf's eight-year military rule.[19]On 8 September 2007, Saudi intelligence chief Prince Muqrin bin Abdul Aziz and Lebanese politician Saad Hariri arrived separately in Islamabad, the former with a message from Saudi King Abdullah and the latter after a meeting with Nawaz Sharif in London. Prince Muqrin and Hariri addressed an unprecedented joint press conference at Army House, telling journalists that Nawaz was bound under the agreement not to return to Pakistan before ten years in exile. Asked about the details of the agreement, Prince Muqrin waved a copy of the agreement to the media and said: “It is here and signed.”[20]
On 10 September, Nawaz Sharif arrived in Islamabad on a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight from London but was prevented from leaving the plane as the authorities at the Islamabad Airport wanted to escort him to the arrival lounge. The rest of the passengers on board were allowed to deplane, and negotiations began with Sharif as he, along with his few supporters, did not want an escort and wanted to deplane themselves.
Sharif finally agreed to be taken out of the plane, and was taken to the arrival lounge and upon his arrival there he was approached by the National Accountability Bureau chief who issued a warrant due to corruption charges made against him. After that, Nawaz Sharif boarded another airliner to be exiled back to Saudi Arabia. "He has been sent back", a senior security official told Agence France-Presse, as local television showed a PIA airplane carrying the deported Sharif from Islamabad airport.[21]
Later on 10 September], Nawaz Sharif landed at Jeddah airport and was greeted by Saudi intelligence chief Prince Miqren bin Abdul Aziz. Pakistan's Religious Affairs Minister Muhammad Ijaz-ul-Haq stated that "He has not only embarrassed Pakistan but also the leadership of Saudi Arabia by violating the agreement." Although Nawaz Sharif had denied the existence of any 'exile deal' with the government before his homecoming, he later admitted that there was an agreement but that it was for only five years.[22]
On presenting him before the Court, the European Union asked the Pakistani government to respect the court ruling. In Washington, D.C., Sean McCormack of the White House (joined by India) stated that the deportation was an "internal matter" but said that elections should be "free and fair" (but expressing mild disapproval of Pervez Musharraf's action). But the United States organisation Human Rights Watch accused the Pakistan Government of violating international law. Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League condemned the deportation by filing a contempt suit in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. His brother Shahbaz Sharif was due to travel with Sharif from London but changed his plans at the last minute.[23][24] On 25 November 2007, several weeks after the return of Benazir Bhutto, Nawaz Sharif was able to return to Pakistan. He was not arrested and, like Bhutto, was able to return to political activity.
A private television channel allegedly reported that Nawaz's media manager Pervaiz Rasheed seized tapes and intimidated their staff after Nawaz lost his temper in an interview. According to the director news of the private TV channel in a press conference, they had been held in hostage during an interview with former PM Nawaz Sharif. He (Nawaz) had also used unbecoming language against President Pervaiz Musharraf and PML(Q) top leaders while answering one of his questions.
Post-2008 elections
On 26 November 2007, Nawaz Sharif filed for the January Parliamentary elections. He handed in his papers in Lahore filing for two parliamentary seats.[citation needed]Mr Sharif announced his party's manifesto being a single demand for the restoration of the judges sacked in November by President Musharraf. Ms Bhutto however said that this is an issue that the new parliament can decide on.[25][26][not in citation given]However after the death of Bhutto, Sharif met with Zardari and advised him to boycott elections. Asif Zardari refused the offer and offered Nawaz to take part in the elections arguing that the opposition parties would definitely win after this chain of unfortunate events in the country and mishandling of issues by the government. Nawaz accepted the offer and announced it publicly in a press conference. He gave the reason that in order to bring the President's government down the whole opposition must assemble and move in one direction.[citation needed]
On Monday, 18 February the PML (N) dominated the Punjab assembly and won 68 seats out of 272 from the National Assembly finishing second, directly behind the PPP (Bhutto/Zardari's party) at 88. However, after adding the reserved seats for women and minorities, total number rose to 91. The results became clear on 19 February. His massive victory in Punjab was met by a festive mood. Later that day in a press conference he said that he would welcome the political leaders back to the parent party who had left his party and joined the PML (Q). Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Asif Ali Zardari, the husband of slain former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto told 21 February 2008 their parties will work together in the national parliament after scoring big wins in the 2008 election.[27]
On Tuesday, 26 February 2008, Nawaz announced that he and his brother Shabaz Sharif would run in by-elections upcoming in the country within the next few weeks, to become Members of Parliament, since they have no restrictions against them. the PML (N) left it to the PPP to chose a Prime Minister, since they agreed on forming a coalition government.
Nawaz Sharif has challenged the petition filed by the federal government against the acceptance of Mr Sharif’s candidature for National Assembly seat-121.[28] Ashtar Ausaf Ali, former Advocate General of Punjab, is the lawyer representing Nawaz Sharif.
The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) on 27 June 2008, won 3 and 2 by-election seats, respectively, to the national parliament. Polls were postponed for the 6th seat in Lahore due to Nawaz Sharif's eligibility contest. A court ruled he was ineligible due to the old conviction, amid the government appeal in the Supreme Court, which will hear the case on 30 June, thus postponing the vote in the constituency.[29] The two parties also won 19 of 23 provincial assembly seats where by-elections were held. The results will not affect the 18 February general election results in which Benazir Bhutto's PPP won 123 seats with 10,055,491 votes; in the 342-seat National Assembly and Sharif's party came second with 91 seats with 6,240,343 votes; and while the PML-Q came third with 54 direct seats with total coalition votes of 10,844,233 votes.[30] Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) won 8 provincial assembly seats, while the PPP won 7 provincial seats.[31][32]
Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
Main article: Assassination of Benazir Bhutto
On 27 December, in a CNN interview just hours after the assassination of former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Sharif said:
“ It is not a sad day, it is a dark, darkest, gloomiest day in the history of this country. [3] ”
Sharif called Bhutto his sister and vowed to avenge her death.[33]
Resignations from the Coalition Government
On 12 May, PML (N) announced it was leaving the government after its failure to reinstate the judges; its ministers resigned.
2008 Musharraf impeachment
On 7 August 2008, the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) agreed to force Musharraf to step down and begin his impeachment. Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif, announced sending a formal request or joint charge sheet that he steps down, and impeach him through parliamentary process upon refusal. Musharraf, however, said: “I will defeat those who try to push me to the wall. If they use their right to oust me, I have the right to defend myself."[34] Pervez Musharraf, accordingly delayed his departure for the Beijing Olympics, by a day.[35] A senior coalition official told Reuters: "Yes, we have agreed in principle to impeach him."[36] The draft of the ruling coalition’s joint statement had been finalized by the draft Committee, and Musharraf must obtain vote of confidence from the National Assembly and 4 provincial assemblies.[37] The government summoned the National Assembly to sit on 11 August.[38] Capt. Wasif Syed, spokesman for the Pakistan Peoples Party, confirmed: "A decision has been made that he has to go now, and all the parties have agreed on this point".[39]
On 18 August 2008, Musharraf resigned as President of Pakistan. He said he was resigning for the country.
Presidential election
Pakistan's Election Commission on 22 August announced that Presidential elections would be held on [6 September, and the nomination papers could be filed from 26 August.[40] The president is elected by the two houses of parliament and the four provincial assemblies.[41] There was speculation that Nawaz Sharif would run for President, but on 25 August 2008, Nawaz Sharif announced that Saeeduzzaman Siddiqui would be the Pakistan Muslim League (N) nominee to replace Pervez Musharraf as President of Pakistan.[42] Siddiqui was defeated by Asif Ali Zardari for the presidency.
Reinstatement of Judges
Nawaz Sharif stated in Lahore that: "I want to inform the entire nation that on Monday 12 May 2008, all deposed judges will be restored; the national assembly will approve a resolution the same day." The judges include Iftikhar Chaudhry, Supreme Court Punjabi Chief Justice, and President Musharraf sacked 60 judges under the state of emergency. On 12 May 2008 the day that PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif stated that the deposed judges sacked under President Musharraf's emergency rule last November, would be reinstated, Mr Sharif over the weekend beginning 9–11 May met PPP Partner Asif Ali Zardari in London to discuss the deadlock and the official date of when the judges would be reinstated, but the meetings dissolved, with no agreement that both party officials could agree upon. Returning to Islamabad Nawaz spoke to media mogul Geo Television Network and announced that he is withdrawing his party members from the federal government(cabinet) and effectively resigning from the coalition government.
After repeated meetings with the ruling party and the refusal by the president to restore the deposed judges, Sharif decided to join the lawyers movement planned on completion of two years of first dismissal of chief justice on 9 March 2007. the plan was to start a long march from Karachi and Quetta simultaneously on 12 March 2009, reaching Islamabad and staging a permanent sit-in till restoration of all deposed judges. Sharif planned to attend a banned political rally in Islamabad on 16 March 2009, to pressurize the government to reinstate the deposed judges, but was instead placed under house arrest.
Ineligibility to contest
On 23 June' 2008, the LHC ruled that Nawaz Sharif was ineligible to contest by-elections because of previous criminal conviction. Afterwards on 25 February 2009, the Supreme Court not only upheld the ban placed by LHC on Nawaz Sharif from contesting the elections, but also annulled the notification of the Election Commission (EC), declaring Shahbaz Sharif member of the provincial assembly.[44] Providing its detailed judgement in the Sharif brothers’ disqualification case, the Supreme Court (SC) said: "Nawaz was publicly propagating his biased opinion, and was defaming the judiciary and the armed forces of Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif was a defaulter of consortium of National Bank of Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited, United Bank Limited, Agricultural Development Bank of Pakistan, Muslim Commercial Bank, PICIC, Bank of Punjab and the First Punjab Mudarba and cases for recovery of loans were pending before the Lahore High Court".[45]
Later, when the deposed judges were reinstated, the Supreme Court on 27 May 2009, declared Pakistan Muslim League (N) chief Nawaz Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif eligible to contest elections and lifted the ban on their holding elected office.[46]
While submitting an appeal against the 10 October 2000 Sindh High Court (SHC) verdict of upholding the conviction awarded by the Anti Terrorist Court (ATC), Mr Sharif requested the apex court to set aside the conviction, adding he was filing the petition irrespective of the consequences flowing from the presidential pardon under Article 45 of the Constitution. Mr Sharif has already approached the Rawalpindi Bench of the Lahore High Court by filing an appeal against his 14 years imprisonment by an accountability court in July 2000 helicopter case.[47] On Friday 17 July 2009, a five-member larger bench of the Supreme Court announced the brief verdict on Nawaz Sharif’s appeal against his conviction in the plane hijacking case.
Removal of Bar on Third Term
On 2 April 2010, the Government of Pakistan tabled the 18th Amendment Bill in the Parliament that would remove the bar on former prime ministers to stand for only two terms in office. This would allow Nawaz Sharif to be re-elected to the post of Prime Minister for the third time.
