Islamabad, Sep 28 (IANS) Political tension is high in Pakistan Friday with the Supreme Court likely to give its verdict on the petitions challenging Pervez Musharraf’s bid at re-election as president while also holding the office of army chief.
The stage for the historic verdict was set Thursday evening when arguments were completed, both for and against Musharraf’s bid, before a nine-judge bench headed by Justice Rana Bhagwandas.
Musharraf is among the 40-odd candidates on whose behalf nomination papers have been filed in the last two days for the election scheduled for Oct 6.
The Election Commission had earlier amended rules to facilitate Musharraf’s bid.
Musharraf’s election is being opposed also on the ground that the National Assembly and the legislatures of four provinces, that elected him once in 2002, could not elect him again.
The apex court is also to consider a petition challenging the deportation of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, though it had cleared his return home from exile last month.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry headed a bench that Thursday released political prisoners caught for protesting Sharif’s deportation and Musharraf’s re-election bid.
The apex court is perceived as having given verdicts against the Musharraf regime, particularly since Chaudhry’s suspension by Musharraf on March 9, which triggered nationwide protests. Chaudhry was later reinstated by a judgement.