Pak EC confirms Musharraf as next President

Pakistan's Election Commision confirmed President Pervez Musharraf's last month re-election for a five-year term and the military ruler was expected to take oath after doffing his uniform on Nov 29.

Pakistan’s Election Commision confirmed President Pervez Musharraf’s last month re-election for a five-year term and the military ruler was expected to take oath after doffing his uniform on Nov 29.

The Defence Ministry is expected to notify his retirement as chief of army staff on November 28, paving the way for him to take oath as a civilian president, officials were quoted as saying by the Dawn News channel.

The new Supreme Court yesterday validated his re-election on October 6 which had been marred by an opposition boycott and asked the Election Commission to notify the result.

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The Election Commission sent the formal notification of Musharraf’s victory to the cabinet division of the federal government, said poll panel secretary Kanwar Dilshad.

The notification confirmed the military ruler’s win in last month’s controversial Presidential election.

The Cabinet division of the federal government has begun preparations for the swearing-in ceremony. Musharraf will be sworn in by the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

A 10-member full court comprising Musharraf’s hand-picked judges had earlier thrown out all six petitions challenging his re-election in uniform. Another Bench of the apex court has upheld the emergency imposed by him on November 3 as well as the suspension of fundamental rights.

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Attorney General Malik Qayyum had said on Friday that Musharraf would quit as army chief and take oath as a civilian for a second Presidential term next week.