ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s National Assembly on Sunday passed a bill to limit the lifetime disqualification of lawmakers to five years, possibly paving the way for the return of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from London to resume active politics ahead of general elections this year.
Sharif, 73, was disqualified for life in 2017 by the Supreme Court and later convicted in corruption cases by the accountability courts.
In 2018, the three-time former premier became ineligible to hold public office for life after a Supreme Court verdict in the Panama Papers case.
The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2023 apart from reducing the period of disqualification also aims to empower the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to announce election dates unilaterally without having to consult the president.
On the time period of disqualification for lawmakers, the bill included an amendment to Section 232 of the Election Act, 2017.