It remains unclear, however, whether the Sharifs will be disqualified for a fixed time, perhaps several years, or be barred from office forever. That could have major implications for Nawaz and his daughter Maryam. She is being touted as a future leader of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz party, and is likely to run for parliament in the 2018 polls.
The ruling party has portrayed the Supreme Court decision as a slap for the electorate in the nuclear-armed nation. "The right to fair trial, which is the right of 210 million people of Pakistan, was not exercised in regard to Nawaz Sharif and his family," said Anusha Rahman, a minister. But Fawad Chaudhry, a senior official of the opposition Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, called the verdict a "victory of good governance in Pakistan".