ISLAMABAD -- A five-judge panel of Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday disqualified thrice-elected Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding office over allegations of corruption against him and his family.
The court in a unanimous decision said Mr Sharif was disqualified for not remaining “truthful and honest'' after considering evidence against him. It also ruled Mr Sharif could no longer serve as a member of the National Assembly, a powerful lower house of the parliament.
General elections are to be held in Pakistan next year and the Supreme Court ruling ensures he won't be in the running.
The court asked the Election Commission of Pakistan to issue notification of Mr Sharif's removal. But Mr Sharif quickly stepped down, saying he did it to show his respect for the country's judiciary.
The court also directed the country's anti-corruption body to file corruption charges against Mr Sharif, his two sons and daughter in the next six weeks for concealing their assets.
Mr Sharif's party expressed its disappointment over the court order.
Supporters of ruling Pakistan Muslim League leader Nawaz Sharif react after the Supreme court announced its verdict and disqualified the Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from holding public office, in Lahore, Pakistan, on Friday. (EPA photo)
“This decision is not surprising but we are disappointed,'' Information Minister Maryam Aurangzeb told reporters shortly after the ruling. She said their Pakistan Muslim League ruling party will issue a detailed reaction after consulting Mr Sharif's advisers.
Legal experts say Mr Sharif will now nominate a lawmaker of his choice to replace him under the provisions of the constitution. They say Mr Sharif's nominee would be elected by the National Assembly, where the ruling party enjoys a majority.
“The Supreme Court has disqualified Nawaz Sharif for concealing his assets,'' Hashmat Habib, a legal expert said. He said the court's order was binding and Mr Sharif and his family may not challenge it.
It was not the first time the judiciary has ordered the dismissal of an elected prime minister. In 2012, the court convicted the then-Premier Yusuf Raza Gilani in a contempt case, forcing him to step down.
The current case against Mr Sharif and his family dates back to 2016, when documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm indicated that Mr Sharif's sons owned several offshore companies.
Mr Sharif's son Hussain Nawaz at the time acknowledged owning offshore companies but insisted they used legal money to set up businesses abroad.
However, the court-appointed investigators in July concluded a significant disparity existed between the Mr Sharif family's declared wealth and its known sources of income.
Opposition lawmakers, who petitioned the court for disqualification of Mr Sharif, welcomed the court decision, saying it was a victory for justice.
Sirajul Haq, who heads Pakistan's Jamaat-e-Islami party, told reporters that he had been fighting a legal battle to ensure the accountability of the “corrupt ruling elite”.