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| Court upholds Musharraf election | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Pakistan's new Supreme Court has - as expected - dismissed the final legal challenge to the recent re-election of President Pervez Musharraf. | |
| General Musharraf's opponents had argued that his election was illegal because he was still head of the army. | General Musharraf's opponents had argued that his election was illegal because he was still head of the army. |
| Most of the challenges were rejected earlier this week. | |
| Gen Musharraf had promised to stand down as army chief and be sworn in as a civilian leader if the final court ruling went in his favour. | |
| He is widely believed to have declared a state of emergency earlier this month in order to purge the Supreme Court that he suspected was about to rule against his re-election, says the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad. | He is widely believed to have declared a state of emergency earlier this month in order to purge the Supreme Court that he suspected was about to rule against his re-election, says the BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad. |
| Final challenge | Final challenge |
| He has since appointed new judges to the bench who are considered more loyal. | He has since appointed new judges to the bench who are considered more loyal. |
| They have already dismissed the main petitions. | |
| President Musharraf still has not lifted emergency rule, and insists that elections, which are due to be held in January, can take place under the emergency decree. | |
| But Western allies have insisted he return the country to civilian rule. | But Western allies have insisted he return the country to civilian rule. |
| Pakistan has asked the Commonwealth, whose leaders are meeting in Uganda, to delay its decision on whether the country should be suspended. The decision was provisionally expected on Thursday. | Pakistan has asked the Commonwealth, whose leaders are meeting in Uganda, to delay its decision on whether the country should be suspended. The decision was provisionally expected on Thursday. |
| Meanwhile, President Musharraf has also amended the constitution to prevent future legal challenges to his actions. | Meanwhile, President Musharraf has also amended the constitution to prevent future legal challenges to his actions. |