ISLAMABAD -  Former president Asif Ali Zardari believes Nawaz Sharif – who was disqualified by the Supreme Court on Friday under Article 62 of the Constitution – was “unqualified” for the top job.

A senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader, who spoke to Zardari after the Supreme Court announced its verdict in the Panama Papers case, told The Nation that the PPP co-chairman insisted Sharif “conspired” against himself, which led to his downfall.

“Asif Ali Zardari argues the results could have been better for Sharif if he was not ‘unqualified’ PM. He was disqualified because he was unqualified,” the PPP leader quoted Zardari as saying.

Another PPP leader said Zardari recalled how the party had tried to convince Sharif to remove Article 62 from the Constitution, which reminded of dictator Ziaul Haq.

He said that Zardari had asked the party to prepare for the general elections and make concrete efforts to unite the opposition in the parliament.

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Sharif was disqualified by the Supreme Court in the Panama Papers case invoking Article 62 of the Constitution.

The five-member larger bench headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa unanimously announced the decision.

The other members of the bench were Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed and Justice Ijazul Ahsan.

Announcing the decision, Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan said: “It is hereby declared that having failed to disclose his un-withdrawn receivables constituting assets from Capital FZE Jebel Ali, UAE in his nomination papers filed for the general elections held in 2013 in terms of Section 12(2)(f) of the Representation of the People Act, 1976, and having furnished a false declaration under solemn affirmation respondent No 1 Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is not honest in terms of Section 99(f) of ROPA and Article 62(1)(f) of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 and therefore he is disqualified to be a member of the Majlis-e-Shoora [Parliament].”

The court also directed to file reference in National Accountability Bureau (NAB) within six weeks to investigate Nawaz Sharif, his children and son-in-law Mohammed Safdar’s cases.

The PM’s House later said Nawaz Sharif stepped down from his post “despite reservations”.

PPP Vice President Senator Sherry Rehman said that the government ignored the case legally and only took it on politically.

“Sharif's advisers took him down in their darbari [royal court] fervour for flattery and sycophancy,” she told The Nation.

The lawmaker added: “The issue is non declaration of assets but more fundamentally it is about respect for the law.”

She said the PPP accepts the courts’ decisions so “there should be a peaceful constitutional transfer of power in the National Assembly.”

This is not the first time that Sharif has been ousted as the prime minister before completing a five-year term.

While he set a record by being elected as the PM thrice, he also has the disgraceful record of being sacked each time.

Sharif’s government was dismissed in 1993 by then President Ghulam Ishaq Khan and in 1999 he was overthrown in a coup by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.

Each time, Sharif has complained of injustice.

This time too, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) pledged to implement the Supreme Court’s verdict in Panama Papers case “despite severe reservations”.

PML-N leader Saad Rafique said the parliament would not be dissolved and the next PM would also be from their party.

PPP’s Senator Farhatullah Babar said his party had made efforts to remove Article 62 from the Constitution but Sharif did not accept the proposal.

Speaking to The Nation, he said: “The article was invoked by the supreme court. The PM must be regretting his mistake.”

Babar said that the PPP was watching the developments carefully after the dismissal of Nawaz Sharif. 

“Let us see how they take it from here. They are in trouble,” he added.

Sharif’s nemesis Pervez Musharraf was overjoyed after the Supreme Court’s decision to disqualify the prime minister.

Musharraf, who heads the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), said in a statement: “I think it’s a very good decision.

“The entire nation is jubilant. It’s a historic day. Sweets are being distributed.” Musharraf proposed an interim government run by technocrats.

PPP leader Aseefa Bhutto Zardari said the audacity of Musharraf to appear on a television channel to talk about democratic Pakistan was “shameful”.