Musharraf files papers as ruling on dual role looms large
The Pakistan Supreme Court is expected to decide on Friday on petitions claiming that Musharraf is ineligible for the election while he remains both president and army chief, the dual position he has held since his 1999 coup.
By Agencies |
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Thursday formally applied to run in October 6 presidential polls, despite a looming Supreme Court ruling that could yet ruin his bid for five more years in power.
President Musharraf faced more trouble from the court when its chief justice ordered the immediate release of dozens of Opposition activists who were seized at the weekend after vowing to rally against his re-election.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide on Friday on petitions claiming that Musharraf is ineligible for the election while he remains both president and army chief, the dual position he has held since his 1999 coup. Musharraf, a key US ally fighting for his political survival, has been locked in conflict with the Islamic republic’s highest judicial body since his botched bid to sack chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in March.
In a show of defiance, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and several Cabinet ministers swept up to the Election Commission in Islamabad on Thursday in a convoy of black limousines to file Musharraf’s nomination papers.
"Today is a historic day for Pakistan," Aziz told state television. Hundreds of riot police and commandos were deployed around the building and at the Supreme Court across the road to guard against protests by the Opposition. All key roads into the city were sealed off.
Later, two Opposition candidates also filed nomination papers. Hundreds of lawyers chanted “Go Musharraf, go!” and “Death to the chief election commissioner!” as former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmad registered as a candidate.
"We have come here to perform a national duty," said Ahmad — one of a number of judges who quit rather than swear allegiance to Musharraf when he carried out the coup. Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party also filed the nomination papers of its vice-president, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, a party spokesman said. Musharraf’s allies have enough seats to win the vote, to be carried out by the national and provincial parliaments.
But the Opposition wants him to be elected from new assemblies after a general election due by early 2008 — and has threatened to resign from Parliament, a move that would deprive the poll of credibility. At least 100 Opposition activists were rounded up at the weekend to stop planned protests against the election, including Javed Hashmi, the acting chief of exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif’s party.
Chief Justice Chaudhry gave an order for their immediate release on Thursday after summoning officials to the Supreme Court, a senior police officer who attended the special hearing of the court told agencies. “The chief justice said all political workers and leaders, including Javed Hashmi, should be freed,” the official said.
The United States, Musharraf’s main backer, issued an unusually harsh condemnation this week of the “extremely disturbing” arrests, while the European Union and Canada also expressed concern. Musharraf has said he will quit as army chief by November 15 and be sworn in as a civilian if he wins — but has also warned that he will keep his military role if anything stands in his way.
The Opposition has taken this as an indication that he could impose Emergency rule or even martial law if he is barred from standing by the court. Dissolving parliament for up to a year is another option, analysts say. Musharraf showed his muscle earlier this month when he expelled former premier Sharif, the man he toppled eight years ago, within hours of his return from exile and sent him to Saudi Arabia.
President Musharraf faced more trouble from the court when its chief justice ordered the immediate release of dozens of Opposition activists who were seized at the weekend after vowing to rally against his re-election.
The Supreme Court is expected to decide on Friday on petitions claiming that Musharraf is ineligible for the election while he remains both president and army chief, the dual position he has held since his 1999 coup. Musharraf, a key US ally fighting for his political survival, has been locked in conflict with the Islamic republic’s highest judicial body since his botched bid to sack chief justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in March.
In a show of defiance, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz and several Cabinet ministers swept up to the Election Commission in Islamabad on Thursday in a convoy of black limousines to file Musharraf’s nomination papers.
"Today is a historic day for Pakistan," Aziz told state television. Hundreds of riot police and commandos were deployed around the building and at the Supreme Court across the road to guard against protests by the Opposition. All key roads into the city were sealed off.
Later, two Opposition candidates also filed nomination papers. Hundreds of lawyers chanted “Go Musharraf, go!” and “Death to the chief election commissioner!” as former Supreme Court judge Wajihuddin Ahmad registered as a candidate.
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"We have come here to perform a national duty," said Ahmad — one of a number of judges who quit rather than swear allegiance to Musharraf when he carried out the coup. Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party also filed the nomination papers of its vice-president, Makhdoom Amin Fahim, a party spokesman said. Musharraf’s allies have enough seats to win the vote, to be carried out by the national and provincial parliaments.
But the Opposition wants him to be elected from new assemblies after a general election due by early 2008 — and has threatened to resign from Parliament, a move that would deprive the poll of credibility. At least 100 Opposition activists were rounded up at the weekend to stop planned protests against the election, including Javed Hashmi, the acting chief of exiled former premier Nawaz Sharif’s party.
Chief Justice Chaudhry gave an order for their immediate release on Thursday after summoning officials to the Supreme Court, a senior police officer who attended the special hearing of the court told agencies. “The chief justice said all political workers and leaders, including Javed Hashmi, should be freed,” the official said.
The United States, Musharraf’s main backer, issued an unusually harsh condemnation this week of the “extremely disturbing” arrests, while the European Union and Canada also expressed concern. Musharraf has said he will quit as army chief by November 15 and be sworn in as a civilian if he wins — but has also warned that he will keep his military role if anything stands in his way.
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The Opposition has taken this as an indication that he could impose Emergency rule or even martial law if he is barred from standing by the court. Dissolving parliament for up to a year is another option, analysts say. Musharraf showed his muscle earlier this month when he expelled former premier Sharif, the man he toppled eight years ago, within hours of his return from exile and sent him to Saudi Arabia.
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