Pakistan's Supreme Court has thrown out a final challenge to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election and paved the way for him to quit as army chief.
The long-awaited ruling from the court, stacked with judges friendly to Gen Musharraf, comes as the president is facing sustained international pressure as he continues to resist calls to fully lift emergency rule imposed on November 3rd.
Chief Justice Abdul Hamid Dogar ordered the sixth and final challenge to Gen Musharraf's October re-election to be thrown out by the court.
Attorney General Malik Qayyum said before the ruling he expected Gen Musharraf to be sworn in for a second term by the weekend or immediately after.
Gen Musharraf repeatedly promised to relinquish his army post and be sworn in as a civilian leader for a second five-year term in what he calls a transition to civilian-led democracy once his re-election had been endorsed by the court.
Although critical of his actions, the United States has given leeway to Gen Musharraf, an ally in the fight against al-Qaeda and the Taliban, to put things right before a general election on January 8th that the opposition may boycott.
Gen Musharraf declared emergency rule nearly three weeks ago, suspended the constitution, sacked the chief justice and purged the court, installing more amenable judges.