AKIPRESS.COM - Pakistan’s top court ordered further investigation into corruption charges against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, for now taking off immediate pressure and the prospect of a potential disqualification as his government continues efforts to boost an economy hit for years by power outages and terrorism, Bloombergreported.
In a three-two split decision by the five-member bench, the Supreme Court ordered a “joint investigation team” to probe allegations that Sharif and his children brought foreign assets illegally, Justice Asif Saeed Khosa, said in Islamabad, the capital, on Thursday. The investigative unit should submit its report within 60 days, he said.
“A special bench will be constituted to look into the matter after the final report and whether the prime minister’s disqualification can be considered,” Khosa said.
Making his verdict as hundreds of riot police and paramilitary troops were deployed within a five kilometer (3.1 mile) radius of the court, Khosa concluded the hearing of petitions by opposition leader and former cricket star, Imran Khan, who brought the case against Sharif and his family. Immediately after the ruling the nation’s benchmark stock index advanced 3.9 percent, the largest jump in more than two years, before paring gains to 2.2 percent.