Pakistan's Supreme Court on Wednesday admitted a petition against President Pervez Musharraf's [Images] position as the country's army chief.

Setting aside the objections of the court registrar's office as "devoid of merit", a three-member bench issued orders for the regular hearing of the case. The petition, against the extension of Musharraf's military tenure, was filed by Qazi Hussain Ahmed, the president of Mutthahida Majlis-e-Amal,

Ahmed has pleaded that according to the Army Regulation Act of Pakistan, Musharraf should have retired on August 10, 2003.

"He can't extend the tenure of his service himself," said Ahmed. However, the court has adjourned the hearing of the petition for an unspecified period.

Musharraf, who seized power in a military coup in 1999, has recently announced that he will seek re-election in uniform for another five-year term from the present assemblies.