Sharif to contest by-elections

Pakistan’s opposition leader, Nawaz Sharif who was banned from taking part in last week’s election because of criminal convictions is planning to contest the by-election.



Pakistan will hold a by-election in the coming weeks for vacant seats left, either because a candidate died or because a politician won in more than one constituency.



A spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League, PML said both Sharif and his brother, Shanbaz will run in the by-election.



The PML is currently in talks with the leader of assassinated Benzair Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) to form a coalition government.



The PPP, which won the most seats in parliament, has not named a candidate for the Prime Minister’s post.



However, if Sharif wins in the by-election, he could push the coalition to nominate him as its candidate for Prime Minister.