Pakistan’s Supreme Court has acquitted opposition head Nawaz Sharif of hijacking charges, removing the final ban on him running for public office. He was banned after being found guilty of hijacking then army chief General Pervez Musharraf’s plane in 1999.
Mr Sharif was prime minster when he sacked Gen Musharraf. He was toppled in an army coup soon afterwards.
Mr Sharif was tried by the Sindh high court. He has always maintained that the charges were politically motivated.
Mr Sharif’s government had ordered officials to divert Gen Musharraf’s plane away from Karachi and to a smaller city in Sindh.
While he was imprisoned, Mr Sharif agreed to go into exile under a deal with Gen Musharraf who had taken over as Pakistan’s president.
Mr Sharif ended his exile ahead of the 2008 elections but was prevented from contesting due to the court conviction.
In its ruling on Friday, the Supreme Court said there was no evidence to support the charge of hijacking and acquitted Mr Sharif.
Prosecutor Shahadat Awan was quoted by news agency Associated Press as saying that the court’s decision was unanimous.