[JURIST] Pakistan's Supreme Court Bar Association nominated former judge Wajeehuddin Ahmed on Monday to run in the upcoming presidential election against current Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf [BBC profile]. Musharraf's eligibility to run is still being contested, despite the Supreme Court of Pakistan's dismissal of three petitions against Musharraf's re-election campaign [AP report]. Ahmed was one of the few judges to stand in opposition to Musharraf by resigning from the Supreme Court [IANS report] in 1999 when the president suspended the constitution of the dismissed government of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The lawyers group urged the government not to create difficulties for the nomination, which is due to the Election Commission on September 27.

The Supreme Court of Pakistan is still considering seven petitions against Musharraf's bid for re-election, which the Pakistani Supreme Court Bar Association has protested [JURIST report], saying that Musharraf's dual role as president and army chief is illegal. Pakistani Supreme Court Bar Association president Munir Malik has said that the group's goal is to secure Musharraf's resignation [JURIST report] and to restore the 1973 Constitution [text]. Earlier this year Pakistani lawyers led a four-month campaign to reinstate suspended Pakistani Supreme Court Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry [official website; JURIST news archive] after Musharraf suspended him in March for alleged judicial misconduct. Chaudhry was reinstated in July, with all charges of misconduct [JURIST reports] dismissed. IRNA has more.