‘Musharraf will take off uniform by December 1’

Pakistan President Musharraf is expected to doff his uniform by December 1, the top government lawyer said in Islamabad.

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is expected to doff his uniform by December 1 once his re-election is validated by the Supreme Court so that he can be sworn in for a second term, the top government lawyer said in Islamabad on Thursday.

Attorney General Malik Qayyum said the apex court is likely to take up the petitions challenging Musharraf’s re-election in uniform in the October 6 Presidential poll next week.

“President Musharraf not taking off his uniform is not a permanent phenomenon. He has said he will take off his uniform by December 1,” Qayyum said.

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Pointing out that the military ruler had been ‘restrained by the Supreme Court from taking oath for a second presidential term’, he said the court is likely to consider the case related to Musharraf’s re-election ‘anytime in the next week’ after it disposes of petitions challenging the Emergency.

Asked whether Musharraf was certain of a positive outcome in the case as all judges who had opposed the emergency had been sacked, Qayyum shot back: “There is no harm in being optimistic. Let’s hope he (Musharraf) gets a positive verdict so that the case of the uniform is buried forever.”

He also dismissed suggestions that the case in the apex court was being ‘fixed’, saying, ‘There is no case of fixing judges. The judiciary in Pakistan is independent’.

Qayyum also clarified that Musharraf’s current term as President would not end today, as has been widely reported in the media.