Lawyers statement on Musharrafs uniform threat to court

ng that if he is not allowed to contest the election he may continue as the Army Chief, said MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed.

Islamabad, Sep 19: The opposition parties of Pakistan have termed the government lawyer Sharifuddin Pirzada's statement in the Supreme Court as a hidden threat to the apex court that Musharraf might not quit the army post, if he was not elected the President.

PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq said that there is a 'clear threat' in the statement submitted to the apex court that Musharraf might not quit the post of Army Chief if he is not re-elected.

"We still believe that Musharraf is neither eligible to contest the presidential election in uniform, nor he is qualified to become the President even after he doffed his uniform," he said.

MMA Deputy Secretary-General, Liaquat Baloch, said that by filing the statement in the court, Musharraf had admitted that he is not eligible to become a candidate for the presidential election and that he was holding the office of the Army Chief 'illegally and without lawful authority'.

"This statement carries a veiled threat to the Supreme Court that his (Musharraf's) doffing the uniform depended on his re-election as the President, meaning that if he is not allowed to contest the election he may continue as the Army Chief," said MMA leader Hafiz Hussain Ahmed.

He said the APDM's threat to quit assemblies if Musharraf contested the presidential election, is part of a well-thought-out strategy, and there were other options as well, the Dawn reported.

Justice (retired) Wajihuddin Ahmed, former Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court, said that although this was a positive development, it was unclear whether Gen Musharraf would continue as the Army Chief if he is not elected.

ANI