Nawaz Sharif barred from contesting polls in Pakistan

Former Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been barred from contesting the parliamentary by-election slated to be held this week. The Lahore High Court upheld a previous ruling that made Sharif ineligible to contest polls because of a 1999 court conviction.

The court's decision came as a major setback for Nawaz Sharif, who has staged a war against President Pervez Musharraf. Latest Update on June 25, 2008: The Supreme Court of Pakistan has postponed the by-elections in which Sharif was a candidate. The decision came after the government moved the apex court against the Lahore High Court decision to bar Sharif from contesting polls.