His nomination papers were cleared but not before a heavy crackdown by police on lawyers, who raised black flags and shouted “Go Musharraf, go”, and journalists in front of the Election Commission and the nearby Supreme Court building.

Many of the lawyers, who were observing Black Day against Friday’s Supreme Court’s order allowing the 64-year-old military ruler to seek re-election in uniform, were injured and were bleeding profusely from their head and faces.

Apparently peeved at the live coverage of the protests by the lawyers, the police personnel turned their ire on mediapersons while authorities blacked out at least three private TV news channels. Angry over the police action, journalists pulled out Minister of State for Information Tariq Azim, who tried to get out of the Election Commission in an ambulance, and beat him, TV channels reported.

Azim had along with Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz gone to the Election Commission to witness the scrutiny of nomination papers. The minister was rescued by a police patrol.

The Election Commission approved Musharraf’s nomination over-ruling strong objections from two rival candidates, retired supreme court judge Wajihuddin Ahmed, fielded by the lawyers’ organisations and Amin Fahim, senior leader of the former prime minister Benazir Bhutto led Pakistan People’s Party.

The police also prevented activists of opposition Jamaat-e-Islami and Muslim League-N parties from marching towards the office of Chief Election Commissioner, arresting scores of workers.

Three major TV channels Geo, ARY and Aaj TV said they were blacked out in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and most parts of the country by cable operators.

The state-run Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMA) had warned all TV channels against airing programmes, talk shows and interviews in which comments are offered on courts matters.
A cable operator said that the major cable provider Webcom disconnected the three major news channels.
Lawyers also staged anti-Musharraf rallies in Lahore and Karachi.