Pakistan court to resume Musharraf case

Islamabad: Pakistan's Supreme Court is expected to resume a hearing into challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's controversial election victory this week and could reach a decision by the weekend, a newspaper reported on Monday.

Attorney General Malik Adul Qayyum said the Supreme Court would most likely resume its hearing into the petitions challenging Musharraf's candidacy on Wednesday, the Daily Times reported.

Qayyum told the newspaper he was hopeful the case would be decided by the weekend.

Army chief Musharraf imposed emergency rule on November 3, suspending the constitution, sacking most top judges, locking up lawyers and rounding up most of the political opposition and rights activists.

Rivals had filed legal challenges in the Supreme Court arguing Musharraf was ineligible to contest while still army chief.

Musharraf, under pressure from Western allies and his rivals to put the nuclear-armed country back on a path to democracy, said on Sunday a general election would be held by January 9.

But he declined to say when the emergency would be lifted and constitution restored.