Ousted Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif to rally support in Abbottabad
The former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif, will rally his supporters in Abbottabad today. In July, the Supreme Court disqualified him from the prime ministership over corruption allegations arising from the Panama Papers.
He was due to start his corruption trial this month, but received a minor reprieve when a judge exempted him from attending the trial on account of his wife’s cancer treatment in London. He intends to travel to London after the rally.
Mr Sharif is likely to use the rally to gauge the mood of his supporters and to ascertain whether he could mount a comeback into politics, should he be acquitted of his charges. He is the longest serving leader in Pakistan’s tumultuous political history and denies all wrongdoing, saying that the charges are politically motivated. His prospects of a political return, regardless of the outcome of his case, will likely depend on supporter sentiment in his party.
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