Pakistan's Election Commission has barred former prime minister and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from running in the January 8 general election because of his criminal record.
But Mr Sharif, who returned from seven years of exile on November 25, says the convictions secured against him in the wake of his removal were politically motivated.
The constitution bars convicted people from running for parliament, and an election official in the eastern city of Lahore where Mr Sharif filed his nomination last week has said this disqualifies Mr Sharif from running in the election.
In 2000, Mr Sharif was convicted of hijacking and terrorism and sentenced to life in prison for trying to turn away an aircraft carrying the current president Pervez Musharraf, whom he had dismissed as army chief, back from an overseas visit in 1999. This was the incident that precipitated Mr Musharraf's coup.
Mr Sharif was later convicted on a corruption charge and sent into exile in Saudi Arabia.
But Mr Sharif has brushed off his disqualification, and vowed to fight on against what he called dictatorship.
‘Let them reject the nominations ... 10 times or even 100 times,’ Mr Sharif said. I will serve the people with much more vigour and resolve.’
Mr Sharif’s disqualification will be seen by the opposition as the result of pressure on election officials by President Musharraf, and branded as election rigging.
