Islamabad: Dismissing suggestions that it was under pressure, Pakistan's Supreme Court on Friday said it would give a verdict on petitions challenging President Pervez Musharraf's re-election in uniform by November 6 even as a top government lawyer said there was no move to impose martial law in the country.
Though the 11-member bench had yesterday indicated that it was unlikely to decide the matter before November 14 as one of the judges would be away to attend the marriage of his daughter, it said it would sit even on weekend, if necessary, so that it can give a ruling by next week.
Gen Musharraf's current tenure ends on November 15 and the delay by the court in deciding the validity of his candidature in the October 6 presidential poll had sparked rumours that martial law or Emergency would be imposed.
Attorney General Malik Qayyum told the court that there was no move by the government to impose martial law.
Senior lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan, the counsel for the petitioner, unsuccessful presidential candidate Wajihuddin Ahmad, said the court was under pressure and should not reverse its earlier decision to adjourn the case till November 12.
He also indicated that he might not be able to attend hearings during the weekend. Justice Javed Iqbal, the head of the Bench, contested this and said the court would not be affected by any pressure while deciding the matter.
Justice Iqbal said Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed, whose daughter is getting married, would attend the hearings over the weekend and will be away only on the day of the marriage.
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