The Pakistan Supreme Court has given Nawaz Sharif two weeks to respond to five petitions filed by opposition politicians including former cricket start Imran Khan
Officials said in Islamabad on Thursday that Sharif is also to explain his family’s involvement in a financial scandal,.
“The financial scandal is piling up pressure on the premier whose government was twice removed in the 1990s’’, said the official.
Khan also plans to hold a public rally in the capital Islamabad on Nov. 2 to force the premier to step down.
According to the report, the petitions were filed after it emerged in leaked papers, that Sharif’s children bought properties in London through offshore companies.
Opponents accused the premier of money laundering in one of his previous stints in power in 1990-93.
Sharif said he welcomes the court proceedings and would respond to allegations against his family.
He can face disqualification if it is proved that he has hidden the wealth of his children.
The development comes as the tensions between Sharif and the powerful military escalated after a report this month that the premier wanted the army to break alleged ties with jihadist groups.
The military has ruled Pakistan for half of its existence and has been allegedly pushing civilian leaders to follow its dictates in foreign policy especially relations with India.
Analysts believe the civil-military tensions might be behind the pressure on Sharif, whose government was twice removed in the 1990s by the court and by the military. (dpa/NAN)