On December 6, the Supreme Court said that it would...

On December 6, the Supreme Court said that it would start hearing the petition in January 2000 and ordered the army-led government to reply to five lawsuits filed by the Pakistan Muslim League, but did not rule on another request from the party that criminal proceedings against Sharif be temporarily stopped. Deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shahbaz and five others are officially accused of treason and hijacking which can carry either the death penalty or life imprisonment, by the army that overthrew him. Sharif accused the army of being vindictive and vengeful. He said that his jail conditions were "inhuman."