In a major legal victory for embattled military ruler Pervez Musharraf, the Pakistan Supreme Court on Friday cleared obstacles for him to seek re-election as president in uniform, dealing a big blow to the opposition.

The apex court, in a split 6-3 verdict, threw out a series of petitions,  challenging General Musharraf holding two offices and his plans to get re-elected while continuing as army chief. Presiding judge Rana Bhagwandas himself happened to be one of the dissenters.

“The petitions hereby are dismissed as not maintainable,” said Justice Bhagwandas, who headed the nine-judge bench.

Lawyers for Pakistan’s opposition said they would appeal against the ruling. “We will appeal against the judgement,” said Akram Sheikh, one of the lawyers for the fundamentalist Jamaat-e-Islami party.

Mr Musharraf and two other candidates are the candidates in the presidential election, due on October 6.  The nominations will be scrutinised on Saturday. A retired judge who refused to swear allegiance to Musharraf after the coup and a senior member of  Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party are the two candidates.

Shame, shame: Oppn

 Flag-waving opposition supporters and anti-government lawyers waiting outside the imposing marble court building in Islamabad chanted “shame, shame” and “go, Musharraf, go,” as the verdict was announced.

Musharraf has vowed to doff his uniform  if he wins another five-year term in office on October 6, before the Supreme Court.

The petitioners had  argued that Musharraf was ineligible to contest the poll, as his dual role as president and army chief was illegal. Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz hailed the court verdict.

“Justice triumphs. The president respects the judgement of the Supreme Court,” said  Musharraf’s spokesman Rashid Quereshi. Mr Aziz said, “Today Pakistan has crossed an important, indeed critical milestone in its march towards true democracy.”

He also called on opposition parties to make sure that the election was held in “harmony.” The opposition parties sharply criticised the verdict. Some of their supporters threw tomatoes and eggs outside the Supreme Court premises.

 “This is sad news for the country,” said Javed Hashmi, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League Party of exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif. Mr Hashmi was detained for several days this week after vowing to lead anti-Musharraf protests. There are more difficulties in store for Musharraf.

Sharif’s deportation

Meanwhile, the court on Friday ordered Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and other officials to explain the deportation of former premier Nawaz Sharif from Pakistan, when he tried to return after seven years in exile on September 10. The judges who held the majority and the minority view did not give reasons for their respective order.

The court apparently dismissed the petitions on the ground that they do not come under Art 184-3 which permitted citizens to approach the appex court on issues of public importance.

Akram Sheikh, the lawyer for petitioner Jamaat-e-Islami, said he would again approach the court with apetition to review today’s verdict by a full bench which included Chaudhry.

The Supreme Court Bar Association President Munir Mallik said the agitating lawyers were totally dissatisfied with the judgement.

Benazir books return flight

Former Pakistan prime minister Benazir Bhutto plans to return to Karachi by Emirates Airlines to end her self-imposed exile on October 18 and challenge President Pervez Musharraf, who is seeking another term in presidential elections on October 6.

Bhutto’s Pakistan Peoples Party has reserved at least 130 seats on the Gulf-based airlines for those accompanying her expected to include British parliamentarians, a media delegation and party officials, the state-run APP news agency said. Party officials were quoted as saying yesterday that the PPP chief plans to land at Karachi on October 18 after a two-hour stopover in Dubai.

Opposition leaders released

Pakistani authorities have released dozens of opposition leaders and workers following an order by the country’s chief justice, officials said today.

The activists were held at the weekend after threatening to stage protests against the re-election of military ruler President Pervez Musharraf on October 6. Among those freed were Javed Hashmi, acting chief of exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif’s party, and another central leader of the party, Raja Zafarul Haq. “The court’s decision is a massive embarrassment for the government,” Hashmi told AFP today.