EC rejects removal of Nawaz Sharif's name from PML-N

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) on Wednesday turned down petitions seeking the removal of jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's name from Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party.

Four separate pleas were filed seeking the cancellation of party's registration with the electoral body and the removal of N from the party, as Sharif was disqualified from holding public office in a ruling by the Pakistan Supreme Court.

In its verdict, the ECP stayed its judgment and took a unanimous decision of rejecting all the four petitions.

In July last year, Sharif stepped down as the prime minister after his name cropped up in the Panama Papers leak case. The three-time prime minister was also disqualified from the post of ruling PML-N party chief. Subsequently, the top court barred him from holding public office for the rest of his life.