The Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif has been disqualified from serving by the Supreme Court over allegations of corruption.
The decision by a five-judge panel was not surprising as many legal experts and opposition leaders were expecting punitive measures against Mr Sharif and his family.
The case against them dates back to 2016, when documents leaked from a Panama-based law firm indicated that MrSharif's sons owned several offshore companies.
Opposition party supporters celebrate following the Supreme Court’s announcement (Anjum Naveed/AP)
One son, Hussain Nawaz, at the time acknowledged owning offshore companies but insisted they used legal money to set up businesses abroad.
It is not the first time the judiciary has ordered dismissal of the elected prime minister.
In 2012, the court convicted the then-premier Yusuf Raza Gilani in a contempt case, forcing him to step down.
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