A Pakistani court today disqualified former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting this week's by-election, his lawyers said.
Mr Sharif was barred from the general election in February because he had been convicted for the hijacking of then-army chief Pervez Musharraf's plane in 1999. But he was later cleared to contest the by-polls due on Thursday.
A high court in the eastern city of Lahore again barred him from the election.
"The decision is based on conspiracy. It's a political decision," Mr Sharif's party spokesman said.
