Musharraf 'returned to power'
Pervez Musharraf re-elected as president of Pakistan, but supreme court yet to rule on validity of his candidacy
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Saturday, 06, Oct 2007 05:55
Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf has been re-elected by the country's electoral college, but his presidency still hinges on a crucial supreme court decision.
The court, which said on Friday that elections could take place today as planned, has yet to rule on whether General Musharraf, the head of Pakistan's army, is a valid candidate.
Gen Musharraf, who seized power in a bloodless coup eight years ago, had vowed to hand in his army uniform if re-elected.
Today's election result was announced by state television and party officials after lawmakers in Pakistan's parliament and four provincial assemblies cast their votes.
Other hopefuls for the country's top post had included opposition activist Makhdoom Amin Fahim and former supreme court judge Wajihuddin Ahmed.
It could take several weeks for the supreme court to reach a decision.
Earlier, hundreds of opposition activists resigned from the assemblies in a bid to reduce the election's legitimacy.
Yesterday however Gen Musharraf and the former anti-establishment Pakistan's Peoples party (PPP) reached a deal that led to its members' participation in today's election.
In exchange, the president promulgated a decree which exempted any politicians charged with crimes between January 3rd 1986 and October 12th 1999.
The legislation, the national reconciliation ordinance (NRO), was a key demand of PPP chairman and former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, who is set to return on October 18th ahead of forthcoming general elections to elect the country's assemblies.
General elections in the south Asian country are likely to see the return of government rival and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, who was deported on arrival last month.
Mr Sharif, deposed by Mr Musharraf on October 12th 1999 – the ending date of the amnesty deal – has cases against him which could result in his arrest.