Pakistani Election Commission bars Sharif from poll

LAHORE, Pakistan, Dec 3 (bdprem) - Pakistan's Election Commission on Monday barred former prime minister and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif from a Jan. 8 general election because of past criminal convictions. Your Ad Here "His nomination papers are rejected because of his convictions," presiding election official Raja Qamaruzaman told Reuters in the eastern city of Lahore, Sharif's power base where last week he registered to run in the election. Sharif says the convictions against him were politically motivated. lawyer Khawaja Harris earlier told Reuters, The disqualification would be based on criminal convictions secured against Sharif in the wake of his ousting by the military in 1999. The two-time ex-premier says the cases were politically motivated. "We have given him sufficient reasons not to disqualify Nawaz Sharif but I am not optimistic because of the collateral factors," lawyer Khawaja Harris told Reuters, hours ahead of the ruling. Sharif's exclusion from the vote is seen by the opposition as the result of pressure on election officials by President Pervez Musharraf to block the old rival he ousted. Critics say Musharraf has sway over voting officials. Sharif is threatening to boycott the vote but has lodged nomination papers. Another opposition leader and former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, says her party will take part in the election although she has left open the option of joining Sharif in a boycott. The two old rivals, who have both recently returned from years in exile, are due to meet in Islamabad later on Monday. Election officials citing financial irregularities last week barred Sharif's brother, Shahbaz, from running. Sharif was convicted of hijacking and terrorism and sentenced to life in prison in 2000 for trying to turn away an aircraft carrying Musharraf, the then military chief whom Sharif had just dismissed, back from an overseas visit in October 1999. The incident precipitated Musharraf's coup against Sharif. In July 2000, he was convicted on a corruption charge. He was sent into exile in Saudi Arabia later that year on condition, the government says, that he stay out of politics for 10 years. "BEHAVE CONSTRUCTIVELY" Sharif and his allies, including the second biggest religious party and the small party of former cricket hero Imran Khan, say taking part in the election would legitimise Musharraf's unconstitutional manoeuvres to hold on to power. Bhutto says a boycott would leave the field open to Musharraf's allies who are expected to fare badly in the vote, putting a question mark over his long-term rule. Musharraf has promised to lift a state of emergency by Dec. 16 but he has ruled out reinstating sacked judges. When he imposed the emergency they were thought to be about to rule invalid his October re-election by legislators. Some judges, including the former chief justice who defied Musharraf's bid to dismiss him in March, are under house arrest. Visiting Turkish President Abdullah Gul, who was due to meet both Bhutto and Sharif on Monday, said all leaders should "behave constructively". "Democracy is essential for the sustainability of the states but at the same time, the realities of the country should be taken into consideration," Gul told a news conference. The president of Pakistan's old ally Turkey is the first foreign leader to visit since Musharraf, bowing to international pressure, stepped down as army chief and was sworn in as a civilian president last week.