Pakistan PM Sharif quits after judges uphold corruption findings

28 Jul 17

Pakistan’s prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has been declared unfit for office and ousted from power by the country’s Supreme Court following a corruption probe.

In a ruling issued today, the court said Sharif was “not honest” and therefore disqualified from being a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora [Pakistan’s Parliament].

The ruling takes immediate effect “whereafter [Sharif] shall cease to be the prime minister of Pakistan” the court said.

A spokesman for Sharif subsequently confirmed that he had resigned.

In their judgment, the five-member court upheld the findings of a special committee in the Sharif family assets. These included several properties in London, which had been hidden from tax authorities.

The National Accountability Bureau, Pakistan’s anti-corruption agency, was also ordered to begin criminal proceedings against Sharif and members of his family.

Sharif has faced questions over his personal wealth since last year’s ‘Panama Papers’ scandal, which revealed that Sharif’s children owned undeclared offshore companies and assets.

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