Pakistan's Prime Minister has been forced out of office following a damning corruption investigation into his family wealth.

Nawaz Sharif resigned after being disqualified from office by the country's supreme court, which has ordered a criminal investigation into the politician and his family.

In the verdict, Judge Ejaz Afzal Khan said Sharif "is no more eligible to be an honest member of the parliament".

The case against the 67-year-old began in 2016, when documents were leaked from a law firm in Panama.

Image: Opposition leader and former cricket star Imran Khan spearheaded the campaign against Sharif

Those files - known as the Panama Papers - indicated Sharif's sons owned several offshore companies, and an investigative panel alleged his family could not account for its vast wealth.


The case was filed by cricketer turned politician Imran Khan and two other political leaders against Sharif for making mis-statements in his speech in the National Assembly, and his address to the nation last year.

Sharif denies any wrongdoing and claims the investigation into him was biased and inaccurate.

Pakistan's finance minister, Ishaq Dar, has also been ousted from office following the ruling.

The Panama Papers revelations had whipped up a storm - with political parties calling for Sharif to resign and for his family to be held accountable.

Image: Tehreek-e-Insaf party activists celebrate Sharif's dismissal

In a series of tweets, Sharif's daughter urged supporters to "stay strong" and said her father will "return with greater force and support" during elections next year.

Maryam Nawaz Sharif said: "Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif's resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable."

Posting an image of her father and ministers smiling, she wrote: "Real men laugh when taking up the gauntlet".

Meanwhile, Imran Khan said he was "extremely pleased" with the ruling and described Sharif's dismissal as a "huge victory".

He said: "I am seeing the destination of a new Pakistan in front of me."

Image: Finance minister Ishaq Dar, Sharif's former accountant, has also been dismissed

This is the third time Sharif has been unable to complete his term in office. He was dismissed amid graft allegations in 1993 and ousted by a military coup in 1999.

There was heavy security around the court premises and the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi were put on high alert in anticipation of the verdict.

The Panama Papers investigation was carried out by multiple news organisations after the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) shared files from the database of law firm Mossack Fonseca.

It is not clear yet who will take Sharif's place, or whether an early election will be called.