Nawaz Sharif likely to contest elections from NA-15 Mansehra

Islamabad: PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif is likely to contest upcoming general elections from the NA-15 Mansehra constituency, strategically chosen due to its historical significance as a PML-N stronghold.

Capt (r) Safdar, spouse of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz, revealed that the former prime minister intendsed to submit his nomination papers for the NA-15 Mansehra National Assembly seat by December 21.

 This decision aligned with the constituency's track record of PML-N victories in the 2013 and 2018 elections.

As the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) started receiving nomination papers, Nawaz Sharif, who recently returned to Pakistan, achieved legal victories, including acquittal in the Avenfield and Al-Azizia graft references. However, his lifetime disqualification as a parliamentarian in the Panama Papers case remained the sole legal obstacle to his electoral participation.

The case of parliamentarians' disqualification is scheduled for consideration by a larger bench of the Supreme Court on January 2 next year.

 Led by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa, the seven-member bench will address issues related to lifetime disqualifications under Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution.

Article 62(1)(f) stipulates that a person must possess sagacity, righteousness, non-profligacy, honesty, and ameen qualifications to be eligible for parliamentary election, with no contradictory court declaration.

In May 2018, a five-member Supreme Court bench, headed by the then CJP Mian Saqib Nisar, determined that disqualification under Article 62(1)(f) is permanent and remains in effect until a favorable verdict or the nullification of the disqualification decision.