New Delhi: Pervez Musharraf's term as Pakistan President will expire on November 15 but he will remain in uniform till a new Army chief is appointed to replace him, the General's counsel told the Supreme Court which had sought to know when his dual office period would come to an end.
Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, Musharraf's counsel, in a written statement to the court said that the General will remain President till November 15.
Musharraf has asserted that he will continue in office till his successor takes oath.
But opponents say Musharraf took over as President in June 2000 and later got himself elected in a rigged referendum.
So he has already completed his five-year term and should be stripped of the post.
Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry said Musharraf must specify the date after which he would not be allowed to hold dual posts.
He also informed the seven-member bench headed by reinstated Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry that Musharraf will remain in uniform even after November 15 till a new Army Chief is appointed to replace him.
The bench, while hearing a petition from Jamaat-e-Islami, challenging an Act that allows Musharraf to hold two offices of the President and the Army Chief, had on Wednesday pointedly asked Pirzada to enquire from the President when his dual office period would come to an end.
Counsel for Jamaat-e-Islami, Akram Sheikh objected to the reply from the President's counsel and said that no reply has been submitted from the Federation, another respondent in the case.
However, Attorney General Malik Muhammad Qayyum said he needed a month's time to submit a reply.
Rejecting the plea, the Chief Justice said that he can only be given a week's time.
(With agency inputs)
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