Pakistani courts have the power to decide whether Pervez Musharraf [Images] can constitutionally stay as the country's president in military uniform after 2007, a government minister has said.

'The constitution has authorised Musharraf to remain as uniformed president only till December 31 this year,' the Daily Times reported on Saturday, quoting Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sher Afghan Nazi as saying.

'After December 31, the courts can decide the president's continuation in military uniform if the country's government or someone else files a petition on the issue,' the minister claimed.

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Nazi's comments came days after Musharraf had reportedly decided to seek re-election for another term in uniform by the present assemblies despite prospects of the Supreme Court conducting a judicial scrutiny of his plans.

Musharraf in the recent past had said that he planned to get re-elected in uniform between September 15 and October 15 and had asserted that he was constitutionally entitled to hold the dual posts till the end of 2007.

The president had said that only after the end of this year he would decided whether to doff his uniform.

Nazi also confirmed that Musharraf did meet former prime minister in exile Benazir Bhutto [Images] at Abu Dhabi recently to strike a political deal with her.

According to him, the Pakistan Muslim League and PML-Nawaz leaders were also in contact to see whether some arrangement could be reached on this issue. 'PML secretary general

Mushahid Hussain and PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif are in contact with each other,' he said.