Pak SC to hear review petitions on Sharifs' on March 30

Pakistan's Supreme Court will hear four government petitions on March 30 seeking a review of its judgment barring PML-N leaders Nawaz and Shahbaz Sharif from electoral politics.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who was reinstated to his position last week following a countrywide protest, issued orders to fix the case for hearing yesterday.

The Pakistan People's Party-led government has filed four petitions seeking a review of the verdict disqualifying the Sharif brothers from contesting polls and holding elected office.

The Supreme Court had on February 25 declared the Sharif brothers ineligible to contest elections.

Shahbaz Sharif, who was Chief Minister of Punjab at the time, also lost his seat in the provincial Assembly. Both brothers refused to file any petition or be represented in courts comprising judges who were appointed by former President Pervez Musharraf during 2007 emergency.

Meanwhile, Chief Justice Sayed Zahid Hussain of the Lahore High Court has constituted a seven-member full bench to hear petitions challenging the imposition of Governor's Rule in Punjab. The bench will begin its proceedings from today.

President Asif Ali Zardari had imposed Governor's Rule in Punjab after the apex court gave its verdict last month.