Pakistani Justice & PPP withdrawal petitions against Musharraf

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Source: CCTV.com | 11-20-2007 13:53

Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf speaks during a ceremony in Quetta, 18 November 2007. (AFP/Banaras Khan)

Part of petitions against General Pervez Musharraf's disputed re-election have been withdrawn possibly paving the way for general elections in January.

Musharraf has sworn in a caretaker government to oversee those elections, the opposition doubts they can be free and fair.

The leader of the Pakistan People's Party and a Pakistani Justice have both withdrawn their constitutional petitions against Musharraf's contested re-election.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a final verdict on the cases later this week.

Senate Chairman Muhammadmian Soomro was sworn in last Friday as Pakistan's prime minister of the caretaker cabinet.

Musharraf declared it the smoothest government transition in Pakistan's history. But opposition officials say the January elections Musharraf has promised won't be free and fair under emergency rule, no matter who heads the caretaker administration.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto (R) waves as she arrives at the banned private ARY One World television news office during her visit in Karachi. (AFP/Rizwan Tabassum)

Former prime minister and opposition leader Benazir Bhutto has raised the possibility of boycotting the voting.

Bhutto was placed under house arrest but released early Friday. The release came ahead of a planned visit by U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte last weekend.

Over the weekend, Negroponte urged Pakistan to lift emergency rule, end curbs on media and release political detainees.

Despite intense American pressure on Musharraf, the US State Department on Monday described him as a reformer, good friend and ally.

Editor:Zhang Pengfei