Will challenge disqualification verdict: Nawaz Sharif

Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Sunday, while addressing a rally in Mansehra in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), stated that the disqualification verdict for him should be challenged in the assembly.

"This law, this decision [to disqualify] would have to be taken to the assembly and changed. For that, I will need your vote," The Dawn reported Nawaz, as saying.

Last month, Pakistan's Supreme Court had disqualified Nawaz Sharif and former general secretary of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Jahangir Khan Tareen from contesting elections for the rest of their lives.

A five-member bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Justice Saqib Nisar, gave the unanimous verdict on several identical petitions pertaining to the duration of disqualification of a politician under Article 62(1)(f) of the Pakistan Constitution, reported Samaa TV.

The Article 62(1)(f) reads, "A person shall not be qualified to be elected or chosen as a member of Majlis-e-Shoora (Parliament) unless he is sagacious, righteous and non-profligate, honest and righteous, there being no declaration to the contrary by a court of law."

Meanwhile, at the rally, the Pakistan Muslim League-N supremo (PML-N) also used the occasion to take a dig at Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, who is also his political rival, saying that 'naya [new] Pakistan' was only visible in Lahore and Punjab, as KP and Sindh continue to present a dull picture of 'old Pakistan,' according to several media reports.

On Sunday, the PTI chief, who seeks to become Pakistan's next prime minister, launched his party's campaign for the July elections.