Pak SC gives Gen all-clear for elections

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Friday dismissed legal challenges to President General Pervez Musharraf’s bid for a new five-year term, allowing the military leader to run in the October 6 election while retaining his post as army chief.

‘’These petitions are held to be non-maintainable,’’ presiding Judge Rana Bhagwandas told the court. Chants of ‘’Shame, shame!’’ and ‘’Go, Musharraf, go!’’ rent the air as lawyers in the gallery pumped their fists in the air in the packed courtroom.

The constitutional petitions were dismissed on technical grounds. The SC ruling bitterly disappointed opposition activists and the legal fraternity who saw it as a test of whether the military could be divorced from politics.

The government has insisted all along that Musharraf, who came to power in a 1999 coup, is a qualified candidate. Critics have countered that he cannot run because he has retained his position as army chief.

With his popularity and clout eroding, the general has said he would leave the army if he wins a new presidential term. Government lawyers said he would continue as army chief if he is not re-elected.

The verdict is bad news for Bhutto. A hostile judgement, and the subsequent political turmoil, would have forced Musharraf into a power-share deal.