Pakistan's supreme court ruling on Monday has removed a major hurdle for former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to run for re-election in the upcoming polls. The court declared that lifetime bans from office are unconstitutional, which opens the door for Sharif to participate in the elections on February 8. This ruling comes after years of legal battles and numerous convictions for corruption against Sharif. However, his path to re-entering the political arena was cleared after the supreme court deemed the lifetime bans as a violation of citizens' fundamental rights to contest elections and vote for a candidate of their choice.

The decision also aligns with the legislation passed last year limiting bans from office to five years, which was initiated by Sharif's brother Shehbaz during his tenure as prime minister. This move was initially met with doubt as it might have conflicted with the decision barring Nawaz and other politicians under a constitutional clause demanding honesty and righteousness. However, the supreme court ruled in favor of the five-year ban, stating that it subjected exclusions to the due process of law.

With this ruling, Sharif is now able to lead his Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) party into the election, positioning him as a strong contender in the absence of popular opposition leader Imran Khan, who has been jailed and barred from contesting. This development has reshaped the political landscape in Pakistan and has removed a significant obstacle for Sharif’s return to power. Analysts believe that this decision has eased ambiguity in the constitution and has removed the uncertainty hanging over politicians. Sharif is now expected to campaign for the upcoming elections, signaling his potential return to power after being ousted by the supreme court in 2017.