VOA News

Pakistan's Supreme Court has ruled in favor of an April 30 referendum on extending President Musharraf's rule for five years. The court dismissed several petitions from opposition groups who argued that Pakistan's constitution requires the president to be elected by national and provincial lawmakers. 

Around 15,000 people attended an officially-sanctioned demonstration in the eastern city of Lahore to urge a boycott of Tuesday's referendum. A similar anti-Musharraf rally was held in the northern city of Peshawar. There were no reports of violence or arrests. 

General Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and last year declared himself president. He has promised to hold parliamentary elections by October, but wants Pakistanis to give him five more years in office to continue his political, economic and social reforms. 

Pakistan's Supreme Court has ruled that the coup was legal, but has ordered President Musharraf to hand power over to a civilian government by October 2002. 

Some information for this report provided by AP, AFP and Reuters. 

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