Gen tells judges: will quit as President, not as Army chief

Pirzada conveyed this in a written statement to a seven-judge bench of the court headed by Chief Justice Iftikhar M Chaudhry, which was hearing a petition filed by leader of Opposition Jamaat-e-Islami, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, challenging an Act of Parliament that allowed Musharraf to hold two offices.

The Supreme Court yesterday directed Musharraf’s legal counsel to find out when the General’s dual office period will expire after observing “things should be in black and white”. The formal notification on the expiry of Musharraf’s tenure as President would end the confusion over the issue. The General plans to get re-elected for a five-year term by the present assembles before the end of his term.

The development in the apex court came as hundreds of lawyers rallied and boycotted courts across Pakistan in a fresh campaign against Musharraf’s regime.

The Bench also rejected the Government’s plea to at least stay the proceedings on Ahmed’s petition as the court itself has admitted a review application on the validity of the “President to Hold Another Office Act, 2004,” which Musharraf claims had legalised his continuation in dual posts.

Significantly, the Bench also announced a three-member amicus curiae, stating that in view of the importance of the issues involved it was necessary to advise the government.