Time is rapidly diminishing for Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan to overturntheir convictions and become eligible for participation in the upcominggeneral elections.
With the election date set for February 8, 2023, these prominent leadershave roughly one month to secure court decisions that would make themeligible for electoral participation.
The Election Commission of Pakistan will need to announce the electionschedule in the early part of next month to meet the February 8 electiondate. At least 54 days are required for the election schedule, meaning theannouncement must come in the first week of December 2023.
The primary hurdle facing both Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan is theirdisqualification from contesting elections or holding public office due toprior court convictions. Imran Khan, for instance, was convicted in theToshakhana case, with his sentence being temporarily suspended by theIslamabad High Court.
However, the conviction itself remains. To qualify for electoralparticipation, Imran Khan must secure an acquittal in the Toshakhana case,which depends on the IHC expeditiously scheduling the hearing of his appealagainst the conviction.
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Typically, such appeals in criminal cases are heard in sequence, and theprocess can also consume a significant amount of time. Nawaz Sharif faces asimilar challenge, needing acquittal from the IHC in the Avenfield andAl-Azizia cases and resolving his lifetime disqualification in the Panamacase.
While the IHC has reactivated Nawaz Sharif’s appeals in the Avenfield andAl-Azizia cases, they are not yet scheduled for hearings. It is anticipatedthat these appeals may be expedited and decided, but the looming threat toNawaz Sharif’s political future remains his lifetime disqualification inthe Panama case.
Furthermore, a recent Supreme Court ruling on the SC’s Practices andProcedures Act 2023 has cast doubt on Nawaz Sharif’s prospects ofoverturning his convictions.