New Delhi: Pakistan's Supreme Court on Monday dismissed all the petitions challenging General Pervez Musharraf's re-election. Only one petition remained which will be decided on Thursday.
The 10-member bench was hearing petitions challenging the General's candidature after he won the October 6 presidential poll.
The verdict is expected to decide when Musharraf will quit as the Army chief.
The apex court had earlier ordered the election results to be announced only after it decides on Musharraf's candidature.
Earlier, in his first public comments since a sit-down with Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, Musharraf vowed that the elections would be fair, but also defended the Emergency.
''I took this decision in the best interest of Pakistan,'' AP quoted Musharraf as saying at a ceremony on Sunday.
''I could have said thank you and walked away,'' he told the news agency. ''But this was not the right approach because I cannot watch this country go down in front of me after so many achievements and such an economic turn around.''
Many believe the general imposed the clampdown and purged the former Supreme Court because it was likely just days away from invalidating his continued rule.
Musharraf has long said he would resign as head of the armed forces, but stay on as a civilian head of state.
Opposition figures say they expect little from the new court, which has had all of its independent voices removed. No decisions were expected Monday.
Meanwhile, the state-run Election Commission of Pakistan announced January 8 as the date for much-anticipated elections for both parliament and provincial legislatures. Musharraf had previously promised a vote by January 9, but had not set a specific date.
(With AP inputs)
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