Pakistan's Supreme Court has asked President General Pervez Musharraf to clarify when his dual term as president and as army chief ends.
A panel of judges, led by Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Wednesday began hearing legal challenges to President Musharraf's rule as he prepares to run for another term in office.
The government said Mr. Musharraf's dual term ends December 31 and that he will seek re-election before October 15. By law, the re-election must take place at least 90 days before the end of five-year presidential mandate.
Mr. Musharraf's opponents say he took over as president in 2000 and that his term has already expired. They also say Mr. Musharraf is breaching the constitution by seeking another presidential term while continuing to serve as army chief.
General Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, toppling former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He became president a year later.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP and Reuters.
