LAHORE, Aug 12: The ruling PML fears that a difficult situation may emerge in the event of rejection of nomination papers of Gen Pervez Musharraf for another term as president by the relevant authority.

To deal with such an eventuality, the party will also file nomination papers of cover candidates, party sources say. PML President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Prime Minister Shaukat are expected to be such candidates.

So far, no opposition party has indicated whether it will put up its candidate for the office of the president.

Constitutional experts have differing opinions about the eligibility of Gen Musharraf to go for a second term.

Barrister Aitzaz Ahsan said in an interview that Gen Musharraf would have to take off his uniform at the time of filing his nomination papers.

In case he didn’t, he said, it would be incumbent upon the Chief Election Commissioner to reject his papers.

However, legal brains of the government don’t agree with this point of view. They insist that Gen Musharraf can retain his uniform till Nov 15 and contest the election before that day. Once he is elected, the matter cannot be challenged before any court of law, they say.

Some say that the matter will ultimately go to the Supreme Court and nobody is in a position to predict what its verdict will be.

“At present the real power lies with the apex court,” a senior leader comments, indicating that a judgment of the Supreme Court may determine the future direction of country’s politics.