Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday resigned from his post, his office said, hours after the country’s Supreme Court disqualified him over corruption claims against his family.
The Supreme Court said Sharif is not fit to hold office and ordered a criminal investigation into him and his family.
The court also disqualified Finance Minister, Ishaq Dar.
The Prime Minister’s office said in a statement that Sharif has “stepped down” despite having “serious reservations” about the judicial process.
Pakistan’s top court disqualified Sharif from office after a damning corruption probe into his family wealth, cutting short his third stint in power and ordering a criminal investigation of his family.
In a surprise move, the court also dismissed Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, one of Sharif’s closest allies who has been credited with steering the economy to its fastest pace of growth in a decade.
Sharif’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party, which has a majority in parliament, is expected to name a new prime minister to hold office until elections is due next year.
The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that Sharif was not fit to hold office after an investigative panel alleged his family could not account for its vast wealth.
“He is no more eligible to be an honest member of the parliament, and he ceases to be holding the office of prime minister,” Judge Ejaz Khan said in court.
Prior to the decision, several cabinet ministers, including Sharif’s closest allies, said the ruling party would respect the Supreme Court’s verdict.
“Go, Nawaz, Go,” shouted supporters of the PTI opposition party who had gathered outside the court, and who jeered politicians from Sharif’s party.
