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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Musharraf in court poll victory | Musharraf in court poll victory |
| (11 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's Supreme Court says President Pervez Musharraf can stand for election next week despite still being head of the country's army. | Pakistan's Supreme Court says President Pervez Musharraf can stand for election next week despite still being head of the country's army. |
| It dismissed a number of legal challenges to his right to hold both posts at the same time. | It dismissed a number of legal challenges to his right to hold both posts at the same time. |
| Gen Musharraf registered for the upcoming ballot on Thursday. | Gen Musharraf registered for the upcoming ballot on Thursday. |
| The main opposition alliance say it will boycott the poll. The president is chosen by the national parliament and the four provincial assemblies. | The main opposition alliance say it will boycott the poll. The president is chosen by the national parliament and the four provincial assemblies. |
| Correspondents say Friday's verdict is a serious blow to opposition parties, especially as the Supreme Court has handed down a number of key verdicts against the government in recent years. | |
| President Musharraf's lawyers have said that if he wins another term of office in the election, scheduled for 6 October, he will resign as army chief in November. | |
| 'Not maintainable' | |
| "As per majority six-three, the petitions are not maintainable," the head of the nine-member panel of judges, Rana Bhagwandas, announced. | |
| Earlier this week the United States called on Gen Musharraf to ensure the election - due on 6 October - is free and fair. | |
| He is a key ally in America's so-called war on terror but observers say Washington is worried about his declining popularity and the increasing problems of militancy in the country. | |
| Opposition parties and most of Pakistan's lawyers have been campaigning to remove Gen Musharraf since he tried to sack the chief justice of the Supreme Court, Iftikhar Chaudhry, in March. | |
| Lawyers outside the Supreme Court received Friday's verdict with a mixture of disbelief and anger. | |
| There are more than 40 candidates for the presidential election. None are expected to be a serious challenge to Gen Musharraf. | |
| Earlier on Friday, one candidate, Wajihuddin Ahmad, challenged Gen Musharraf's eligibility to stand with the Election Commission. | |
| Among his objections, Mr Ahmad says that Gen Musharraf has failed to disclose his university qualifications, a mandatory requirement. |