Musharraf not a legitimate president: Sharif

By Simon Gardner

LAHORE (Reuters) - Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday dismissed Pervez Musharraf's presidency as illegitimate, saying the Supreme Court bench he purged to ensure a second term should be restored to rule on his election.

Hours after Musharraf was again sworn in as president, this time as a civilian, Sharif demanded he end emergency rule and release opponents jailed after the November 3 crackdown.

"Under the circumstances, we do not accept him as a legitimate president," said Sharif, who returned from exile in Saudi Arabia on Sunday, eight years after Musharraf, then army chief, ousted him in a bloodless coup.

"The judiciary of November 2 must be restored," said Sharif, an industrialist-turned-politician who spoke to Reuters in the eastern city of Lahore, his power base.

"That judiciary was thrown out by Mr Musharraf just for personal reasons," he said. "Whatever decision that judiciary gives (on his re-election)...that would be a decision which would carry legitimacy and credibility."

Musharraf imposed emergency rule and suspended the constitution on November 3 to purge a Supreme Court he feared would rule against his October re-election by legislators because he was then still serving as army chief.

Some of those judges are still under house arrest.

In his inauguration address on Thursday Musharraf did not say if he would lift the emergency before a January 8 general election. Opponents say the vote cannot be free and fair if held with emergency powers in place.