Holding a poster of him, supporters of Pakistan's military ruler President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, celebrate his victory in the presidential election in Karachi, Pakistan, yesterday. Unofficial results showed Musharraf swept Saturday's presidential election, but the Supreme Court could still disqualify the military leader. - AP

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan (AP):

Unofficial results showed Pakistan's General Pervez Musharraf sweeping yesterday's presidential election, but the Supreme Court could still disqualify the military leader.

The election by federal and provincial lawmakers was a one-sided affair. Opposition parties abstained or boycotted to protest Musharraf's running for a new five-year term while still army chief.

Chief Election Commissioner Qazi Muhammad Farooq announced that Musharraf had won 252 of the 257 votes cast in Parliament, with three ballots judged invalid and two votes going to his main rival, retired judge Wajihuddin Ahmad.

Pakistan Television reported unofficial results that Musharraf had also swept the voting in three of Pakistan's four provinces. Counting was still under way in the fourth province of Sindh.

official results

The Supreme Court ruled Friday that the official results can only be declared after it rules on complaints lodged by Musharraf's opponents that his candidacy is unconstitutional.

Ruling-party lawmakers were claiming victory even before counting began. Only a handful of the government's opponents were among the 691 lawmakers who turned out to vote.

"He will be elected with a vast majority," Privatisation Minister Wasi Zafar told The Associated Press. "God willing, we will enter full democracy."

But the opposition said the ballot was invalid.

"We will not accept him as president. He flouted the constitution, and he is a person who has hardly any respect for the rule of law," said Sadique ul-Farooq, a senior leader of the party of exiled former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Deputy Information Minister Tariq Azim said complete unofficial results would have beeen known by 4:30 p.m. yesterday.

Hearings on the petitions challenging Musharraf's candidacy will resume on October 17, meaning if Musharraf wins he would have to wait at least 11 days before knowing whether he could take office.

His current presidential term expires November 15.

Pakistan Television reported that Musharraf won unanimously in Baluchistan province with 33 votes, and polled 31 of the 34 ballots cast in North West Frontier Province. In Punjab, Musharraf won 253 of the 257 votes cast, it said.

popularity plummet

Musharraf has seen his popularity plummet since a failed bid to oust the country's top judge in March, and has promised to give up his powerful army post if he wins the election and restore civilian rule.

He says he wants to stay on to continue policies that have turned around Pakistan's economy despite its position on the front line of the American-led war on terrorism.

It appears likely he will form an alliance with exiled Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto after parliamentary elections due by January. On Friday, Musharraf signed into law an amnesty quashing corruption charges against her and other politicians.

Bhutto's party abstained from Saturday's voting but did not resign from Parliament as other opposition factions did over Musharraf's candidacy. That has also angered civil society activists.

Chanting slogans against Musharraf, dozens of lawyers clashed with police outside the provincial assembly in the northwestern city of Peshawar. They burned an armoured police vehicle, threw rocks at officers, and burned an effigy of Musharraf before police swinging batons dispersed them.

Three lawyers and a policeman were injured in the clash, witnesses said.