Pakistani Opposition Leader Resigns

Exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif stepped down Saturday as leader of one of Pakistan’s major opposition parties, essentially eliminating himself as a challenger to President Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif’s party, the Pakistan Muslim League, elected his younger brother, Shehbaz, as its leader and its candidate for head of government in October legislative elections.

Party spokesman Sadique Farooq said the move was necessary because Musharraf has refused to allow Nawaz Sharif to return home and contest the Oct. 10 elections.

Musharraf, an army general, ousted Sharif in a bloodless coup in 1999 and sent him to Saudi Arabia after the deposed prime minister was convicted of corruption and conspiracy to hijack Musharraf’s plane. Sharif remained leader of the Pakistan Muslim League, one of the two main opposition parties.

Unlike another exiled former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto, who leads the opposition Pakistan People’s Party and has been living in London, Sharif had refrained from publicly criticizing Musharraf. He retained a degree of support and was seen as a potential threat to Musharraf if he returned for the vote.

Musharraf has pushed for several constitutional amendments ahead of the elections, some of which appear aimed specifically at undermining the influence of Sharif and Bhutto.

The amendments include term limits for prime ministers and a rule to ban those convicted of crimes from holding elected office. The amendments have not been approved.