Timeline of events leading up to Pakistan PM Nawaz Sharif's ouster

Activists of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf celebrate the Supreme Court decision against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, in Peshawar on July 28, 2017.
PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD (REUTERS) - Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned on Friday (July 28) after the country's top court ruled him unfit for office for failing to disclose income and ordered a criminal investigation into his family over corruption allegations.

The prime minister's fall follows revelations in the so-called "Panama Papers" last year, which revealed Sharif's family had bought posh London apartments through offshore companies.

Here's a timeline:

April 4, 2016 - The Panama Papers show involvement of Sharif's family in offshore companies.

April 22, 2016 - Sharif asks the Supreme Court to form a commission to investigate the Panama leaks after pressure from the opposition. Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan demands an independent probe by the high court itself.

April 24, 2016 - Khan threatens protests against Sharif and says the prime minister had lost "moral authority" to rule.

May 16, 2016 - Sharif proposes parliamentary commission probe into the scandal; opposition walks out.

Oct 28, 2016 - Khan accuses government of placing him under virtual house arrest; supporters fight police ahead of plan to shut down capital in protest.

Nov 1, 2016 - Khan backs down from a threat to paralyse the capital with a "lockdown", after violence breaks out with many of his supporters injured and the Supreme Court agrees to hear arguments to form a commission to investigate Sharif.

Nov 2, 2016 - Supreme Court agrees to set up a judicial commission to probe corruption allegations against Sharif, stemming from Panama Papers leaks.

April 20, 2017 - Supreme Court rules there was insufficient evidence to order Sharif's immediate removal but orders a Joint Investigation Team to look further into the source of his family's wealth.

July 11, 2017 - Judicial investigators rule Sharif's family accumulated unusual wealth; allies denounce findings.

July 27, 2017 - Longstanding political ally and Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan says he would quit once top court rules on corruption allegations, regardless of the verdict.

July 28, 2017 - Sharif resigns after court rules him unfit to hold office and orders more criminal investigations into his family. Court says it disqualified Sharif for not declaring income from a company in United Arab Emirates, which was not in original Panama Papers revelations.

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.