PML-N rejects 'kangaroo court' judgement barring Nawaz from by-polls

Islamabad, June 24 : Rejecting yesterday's Lahore High Court's verdict disqualifying PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif from contesting the June 26 by-polls, his party said the judgement was passed by a 'kangaroo court' and that it was written by "someone else".

Later, at a meeting, the party decided not to move the Supreme Court against the high court decision on its own, but allowed any civil or human rights organization, or any individual, to take it up to the SC on their own.

Reacting to the judgement, PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said: "This court has not only declared Nawaz ineligible, but has also 'hanged a sword' on Shahbaz."

Party's senior leadership of the Punjab province and lawyers attended the meeting, where it was also decided to direct its district wings across Punjab to protest the LHC verdict on Tuesday, reported the Daily Times.

According to the paper, the PML-N also planned a protest outside the Punjab Assembly on the same day, it said.

Meanwhile, the PPP has said that it was "disappointed" at the disqualification of PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif from contesting the by-elections. Party leader Farhatullah Babar said it was a conspiracy against democracy, and that his party believes that petitions against Nawaz Sharif were "not maintainable".

PPP Lahore president Aziz-ur Rehman Chan also said that he was disappointed by the decision and that all political leaders should be allowed to participate in the elections.

The lawyers' community in the country reacted to the high court verdict by saying that the judiciary from top to bottom was biased.

"The LHC's decision to disqualify former premier Nawaz Sharif from contesting by-elections "is not shocking" as an independent ruling could not have been expected from judges who took oath under the Provisional Constitution Order (PCO)," the paper quoted former Supreme Court Bar Association president Munir Malik as saying.

He said it would be a "mistake" on the part of Nawaz if he appealed against the LHC verdict in the Supreme Court (SC), because "it would be tantamount to legitimising the SC, which will also deliver the same verdict".

ANI