(Agencies)
Updated: 2007-10-07 08:49

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the official results can only be declared after it rules on complaints lodged by Musharraf's opponents on his eligibility. Hearings on those petitions will resume on October 17. Musharraf's current presidential term expires November 15.

Although the court this year has issued rulings that have shaken Musharraf's dominance, analysts doubted it would overturn the result.

"It will be extremely difficult for the Supreme Court to undo what has been done today, although that possibility remains," said Rasul Bakhsh Rais, professor of political science at Lahore University of Management Sciences.

"They will have to take into consideration the fact that a decision to annul the result would spin Pakistan into a serious political crisis."

Munir Malik, a lawyer for the main rival presidential candidate, Wajihuddin Ahmad, criticized the Election Commission's decision to count the vote and publish unofficial results.

"What they are trying to do is tell the Supreme Court 'Look, Pervez Musharraf has won an overwhelming majority.' So they are trying to intimidate the court," Malik said. "These judges have got to go with the people of Pakistan and not with the army generals."

It appears likely Musharraf will form an alliance with exiled Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after the parliamentary elections — an alliance favored by the West to fight Islamic extremism. On Friday, he signed into law an amnesty quashing corruption charges against Bhutto, who is due to return to Pakistan on October 18.

Bhutto's party abstained from Saturday's voting but did not resign from Parliament as other opposition factions did over Musharraf's candidacy.

The government hailed the vote as evidence of public support for Musharraf and a success for democracy in Pakistan. The opposition condemned it as a mockery, saying the presidential vote should have followed parliamentary elections.

Rather than seek a fresh mandate from the next parliament, Musharraf turned to the outgoing assemblies that had already authorized his current term. Critics say it is unfair as it means garnering 10 years in the presidency from lawmakers only elected for five.

"We will not accept him as president. He flouted the constitution, and he is a person who has hardly any respect for the rule of law," said Sadique ul-Farooq, an ally of former premier Nawaz Sharif, whose elected government was toppled by Musharraf eight years ago.

"Everything about the election was constitutional, legal, moral and legitimate," said Sher Afgan Khan Niazi, parliamentary affairs minister.

While there was minimal public response to an opposition call for a nationwide strike Saturday, dozens of lawyers clashed with police outside the provincial assembly in the northwestern city of Peshawar. They burned an armored police vehicle, threw rocks at officers, and burned an effigy of Musharraf before police swinging batons dispersed them.

Three lawyers and a policeman were injured, witnesses said.

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