Pakistan Boots Musharraf From Election

Pervez Musharraf has got to be feeling more than a little unloved these days: Pakistani judges today disqualified Musharraf from running in an upcoming parliamentary election, a blow to the former military ruler who recently returned from self-imposed exile to make a political comeback. Musharraf had won approval a week ago in the remote northern district of Chitral, even though he was disqualified in three other districts. He was then ordered to appear in court on treason charges.

Lawyers challenged the Chitral decision, and today a three-member appellate tribunal disqualified Musharraf. His lawyer says he plans to appeal the ruling in the Supreme Court. Musharraf faces a variety of legal charges, including some related to the 2007 assassination of Benazir Bhutto. He has not been arrested because he arranged pre-arrest bail before he arrived, a feature of Pakistan's legal system. Just for good measure, Musharraf also faces death threats from the Pakistani Taliban, who have said they set up a special death squad to target him. And a lawyer last month chucked a shoe at him.