[JURIST] Pakistan's Supreme Court [official website] announced it will allow six constitutional petitions to challenge President Pervez Musharraf's [Wikipedia profile] decision to remain the country's president and army chief of staff. The petitions, filed by Pakistan Lawyers Forum, the Communist Party and the Watan Party, challenge Musharraf's decision to retain the two offices in violation of both the Pakistani constitution and his own promise to Pakistani citizens. Pakistan's Constitution [text] calls for the election of a president by members of the national assembly and four provincial assemblies. However, Musharraf was elected through a referendum in 2002 that was approved by the national assembly after he promised that he would leave the post of army chief of staff by December 2004. Musharraf subsequently reneged on that promise saying he needed to keep the office due to the war on terrorism. The Court has issued notices to Pakistan's advocate general, federal law secretary and the attorney generals of four provinces to reply to the questions raised in the petition. Kyodo News has more.