Court rules Musharraf can stay on as president  Billboard of
Pervez Musharraf A billboard featuring the Pakistani president,
General Pervez Musharraf. Photograph: Aamir Qureshi/AFP/Getty
Images Pakistan's supreme court today ruled against the final
legal challenge blocking ratification of General Pervez
Musharraf's election as president last month.  The decision,
made by judges loyal to Musharraf, now clears the way for the
general to remain in office as a civilian.  Musharraf replaced
the supreme court with his supporters after declaring emergency
rule in the country on November 3.  In doing so, he pre-empted
the possibility the old court might declare his election invalid
because he was head of the military at the time.  Earlier this
week, the government claimed to have released about 5,000 jailed
political opponents, including Imran Khan, who had been on
hunger strike.  Today Khan spoke out, urging other parties to
join a boycott of the parliamentary elections, set by Musharraf
for January 8.  The former c