Pakistan's Supreme Court on Tuesday overturned an election ban on former PM Nawaz Sharif and his brother. A previous court decision to bar the brothers from polls sparked massive protests in March.
Pakistani PM Yousuf Gilani and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif have called for reconciliation to end Pakistan's political crisis, after their first meeting since the country's supreme court disqualified Sharif from contesting elections.
Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was sacked as Pakistan's chief justice in 2007 by ex-President Pervez Musharraf, resumed his post Sunday following mass protests by lawyers and opposition parties that forced the government to buckle down.
In an effort to calm the political turmoil in the country, Pakistan has agreed to restore deposed Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry on March 21, prompting opposition leader Nawaz Sharif to call off his planned "long march" protest.
President Zardari agreed to key concessions after a meeting with Prime Minister Gilani during the worst political crisis this year. Rival Nawaz Sharif (photo) is in a stand-off with the government after being banned from politics.
Protesters in Pakistan took to the streets for a third straight day, meeting tough resistance from police, following the Supreme Court's election ban of Nawaz Sharif that has pushed the country further into political turmoil.
Pakistan's Supreme Court has banned opposition leader Nawaz Sharif and his brother from holding office, leading to chaos and protests. Nawas Sharif was convicted of hijacking a Pakistani airliner carrying former president Musharraf on Oct. 12, 1999.
Former PM Nawaz Sharif has pulled out of a shaky governing coalition over key differences with Pakistan’s majority party. Continuing political instability threatens security and economic concerns in the country.
One day after Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf resigned, the ruling coalition government set about on Tuesday to find a replacement and settle differences.
A Pakistani court has disqualified opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from this week's by-election. Sharif had been previously barred from contesting February's general election due to former convictions but was allowed to stand for this vote.