Opposition parties petitioned the Pakistan Supreme Court [official website] on Monday to remove Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from office after the joint investigation team’s (JIT) report [text] stipulated that there was sufficient proof that the prime minister and his family held wealth beyond their known means of income. The JIT was created in April when the Supreme Court rejected [JURIST report] disqualifying Sharif from office stating the evidence was insufficient. A special bench consisting of three justices will review the proceedings and issue summons to any further testimony or evidence needed to conclude the months-long turmoil. The court will resume hearings on Tuesday.

Pakistan’s current government has been under scrutiny in the last few months by its own people and around the world. In April a Pakistan military court sentenced Kulbushan Jadhav [The Hindu backgrounder], an Indian naval officer who was detained in Pakistan for the past year, to death. The court handed down [JURIST report] the death sentence after finding Jadhav guilty of espionage and sabotage. However in May the International Court of Justice instructed Pakistan [JURIST report] to withhold the execution until the international court reaches its final decision. In March the Pakistan National Assembly voted [JURIST report] to renew an amendment to the country’s constitution that allows military tribunals to oversee civilians accused of terrorist-related crimes.