Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court Monday adjourned for two weeks an appeal against a ruling that barred former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting a parliamentary by-election.

A full bench of the Lahore High Court had disqualified Sharif from contesting the by-election.

The Supreme Court, after receiving from the federal government an appeal against the disqualification, ordered the postponement of the by-election in Sharif's constituency till June 30 to enable it hear the plea.

However, the hearing was adjourned Monday for two weeks after lawyer Ahmad Raza Kasuri argued that the government did not have the authority to file a petition on Sharif's disqualification, Geo TV channel reported.

Sharif was barred from Feb 18 general elections for his conviction in graft cases after the 1999 coup in which then Pakistan Army chief Gen. Pervez Musharraf seized power.

 

Source : IANS