Submit date of expiry of Mush's term: Pak SC

Islamabad, Sep 5: Pakistan's Supreme Court today directed the government to submit details including the date of the expiry of president Pervez Musharraf's term.

The court issued the directive while hearing a petition filed by Jamat-e-Islami, challenging an act of parliament that allowed Gen Musharraf to hold offices of the president and the army chief simultaneously.

''The counsel for federation Sharifuddin Pirzada will seek instructions of the president, as agreed and submit before the court tomorrow,'' Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said while hearing the petition.

Earlier, counsel for Jamat-e-Islami Akram Sheikh said, ''We did not have an elected president and have just a de facto holder of the office of the president.'' The parliament had allowed Gen Musharraf to remain in the presidency while holding the office of the army chief in 2004 under ''The President To Hold Another Office Act.'' Gen Musharraf, who is seeking re-election for the second term, assumed power in a bloodless military coup in 1999 and became president through a controversial referendum in April 2002.

Later, he legitimised his presidency by successfully getting his election validated from the parliament in December 2004.

UNI