2007年VOA标准英语-Pakistan Court Dismisses Challenges to Presiden

By Daniel Schearf
Islamabad
28 September 2007

Pakistan's Supreme¹ Court has dismissed a series of challenges to President Pervez Musharraf's re-election bid, paving the way for Mr. Musharraf to run in the October presidential election while still holding his post as chief of the military. Opposition² parties had argued that General Musharraf should not be allowed to run for president while in uniform. Daniel Schearf reports from Islamabad.

By a six-to-three vote, the Supreme Court on Friday dismissed petitions that sought to declare Mr. Musharraf's re-election bid unconstitutional. No immediate³ explanation was given for the ruling, or why three justices dissented⁴, other than a declaration saying the petitions were "not maintainable."

The ruling removes a major obstacle to Mr. Musharraf's plan to run for reelection as president on October 6 while remaining chief of Pakistan's powerful military. He has said he would give up the post if he wins the election.

Immediately after the ruling, representatives of opposition parties cried foul⁵ and said they would file legal objections to the ruling. Opposition parties have said they will resign from legislative⁶ assemblies in protest if Mr. Musharraf is allowed to run.

Munir Malik is head of the Supreme Court Bar Association, an organization of lawyers opposed to Mr. Musharraf's continued rule. Outside the Supreme Court building and surrounded by people upset with the verdict, he said they would take their protests to the streets on Saturday.

"We will march from the Supreme Court building at 9 a.m.," said Malik. "We have given a call to all sections of civil society and all the lawyers to join us… to join us from a march from here to the offices of the election commission."

Pakistan's election commission, its chairman was appointed by Mr. Musharraf, is to decide on the eligibility⁷ of presidential candidates Saturday, and is expected to verify Mr. Musharraf's candidacy.

The lawyers' association and the opposition Pakistan People's Party have nominated their own candidates for president, but said they would withdraw the nominations⁸ if Mr. Musharraf were allowed to run. Several other lesser-known candidates have also been nominated.

After the ruling was announced, Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz told a press briefing the government welcomed the decision.

Mr. Aziz says the government can now deal sternly with anyone who tries to interfere⁹ with the election.

Mr. Musharraf came to power in a 1999 military coup¹⁰, and has been under pressure to step down and return Pakistan to civilian¹¹ rule.

He is an important ally for the United States in the fight against terrorism, but critics say he has become increasingly authoritarian¹² and has failed to control Islamic extremists in the country.

Mr. Musharraf lost considerable public support after a failed attempt in July to fire the chief justice of the Supreme Court led to mass street protests.

1 supreme   

adj.极度的，最重要的；至高的，最高的

参考例句：

• It was the supreme moment in his life.那是他一生中最重要的时刻。
• He handed up the indictment to the supreme court.他把起诉书送交最高法院。

2 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

3 immediate   

adj.立即的；直接的，最接近的；紧靠的

参考例句：

• His immediate neighbours felt it their duty to call.他的近邻认为他们有责任去拜访。
• We declared ourselves for the immediate convocation of the meeting.我们主张立即召开这个会议。

4 dissented   

不同意，持异议( dissent的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• We dissented from the decision. 对那项决定我们表示了不同意见。
• He dissented and questioned the justice of the award. 他提出质问，说裁判不公允。

5 foul   

adj.污秽的；邪恶的；v.弄脏；妨害；犯规；n.犯规

参考例句：

• Take off those foul clothes and let me wash them.脱下那些脏衣服让我洗一洗。
• What a foul day it is!多么恶劣的天气！

6 legislative   

n.立法机构，立法权；adj.立法的，有立法权的

参考例句：

• Congress is the legislative branch of the U.S. government.国会是美国政府的立法部门。
• Today's hearing was just the first step in the legislative process.今天的听证会只是展开立法程序的第一步。

7 eligibility   

n.合格，资格

参考例句：

• What are the eligibility requirements? 病人被选参加试验的要求是什么？ 来自英汉非文学 - 生命科学 - 回顾与展望
• Eligibility for HINARI access is based on gross national income (GNI). 进入HINARI获取计划是依据国民总收入来评定的。

8 nominations   

n.提名，任命( nomination的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Nominations are invited for the post of party chairman. 为党主席职位征集候选人。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Much coverage surrounded his abortive bids for the 1960,1964, and 1968 Republican Presidential nominations. 许多消息报道都围绕着1960年、1964年和1968年他为争取提名为共和党总统候选人所做努力的失败。 来自辞典例句

9 interfere   

v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰

参考例句：

• If we interfere, it may do more harm than good.如果我们干预的话，可能弊多利少。
• When others interfere in the affair,it always makes troubles. 别人一卷入这一事件，棘手的事情就来了。

10 coup   

n.政变；突然而成功的行动

参考例句：

• The monarch was ousted by a military coup.那君主被军事政变者废黜了。
• That government was overthrown in a military coup three years ago.那个政府在3年前的军事政变中被推翻。

11 civilian   

adj.平民的，民用的，民众的

参考例句：

• There is no reliable information about civilian casualties.关于平民的伤亡还没有确凿的信息。
• He resigned his commission to take up a civilian job.他辞去军职而从事平民工作。

12 authoritarian   

n./adj.专制(的)，专制主义者，独裁主义者

参考例句：

• Foreign diplomats suspect him of authoritarian tendencies.各国外交官怀疑他有着独裁主义倾向。
• The authoritarian policy wasn't proved to be a success.独裁主义的政策证明并不成功。