Islamabad  - Pakistan's top court on Friday overturned the conviction of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif for hijacking the plane carrying then army chief General Pervez Musharraf in October 1999, which led to Sharif's overthrow by the army.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court acquitted Sharif of all charges on the grounds of insufficient incriminating evidence.

"Looking at the case from any angle, the charge of hijacking, attempt to hijack or terrorism does not stand established against the petitioner," the 55-page judgement said.

"The conviction and sentence of the appellant are set aside and he (Sharif) is acquitted."

An anti-terrorism court convicted Sharif in April 2000 for preventing an international flight with nearly 200 passengers, including Musharraf and his wife Sahba Musharraf, from landing in Pakistan, and the ruling was later upheld by a High Court.

Months after the conviction, the Saudi government brokered a deal between Sharif and ex-military strongman Musharraf under which Sharif was sent into exile in 2001.

He, however, returned in 2007 to lead his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party in the general vote, though he was barred from contesting the elections for his previous convictions.

Friday's decision cleared the way for the former premier to participate in politics freely.

"God Almighty has determined the truth," Sharif said in his first comments quoted by the private Geo News television channel.

Geo said the leader vowed to dedicate himself to the service of the country.

An earlier court verdict allowed Sharif to run for a public office, and he is due to contest a parliamentary by-election which had been postponed on security concerns.

Poised to win effortlessly, Sharif is most likely to become the opposition leader in the parliament.

The only obstacle to Sharif's becoming a prime minister is legislation passed by Musharraf's political backers which bars a person from holding the office more than two times.

The government and the opposition are in dialogue to abolish the constitutional amendments introduced by Musharraf during his more than eight years of rule.

Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani congratulated Sharif and said his acquittal "is a victory of democratic forces." (dpa)