The 2024 general elections may see the top two politicians of the country -- Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif -- not eligible to contest the polls due to their disqualification from holding any public office.
Imran Khan was disqualified for three years in the Toshakhana case, while Nawaz Sharif was disqualified for life in the Panama case.
The PMLN is banking on the Election Act 2017 as amended in 2023 during the PDM government, which sets the period of disqualification to five years. However, others insist that without a constitutional amendment or the Supreme Court's ruling, Nawaz Sharif's life disqualification cannot be reduced to five years on the basis of an amendment to the law.
The only hope for Nawaz may now be the petition of the Pakistan Bar Council led by Ahsan Bhoon, which has challenged the lifetime disqualification of parliamentarians.
Nawaz is returning to Pakistan on Oct 21 and faces the challenge of getting himself acquitted in the corruption cases besides getting reversed life-long disqualification in the Panama case.
Imran Khan's PTI has filed an appeal against his conviction in the IHC. However, appeals against such convictions are not heard early and he is also facing a cipher case trial.
It is therefore possible that both Imran Khan and Nawaz Sharif may not be eligible to contest the 2024 general elections.
