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Monday's elections to go ahead

Supreme Court upholds Benazir's dismissal
ISLMABAD Jan 29: The Supreme Court today upheld the dismissal of Benazir Bhutto and ordered new elections to go ahead, ending the former prime minister's battle to be returned to power without another vote, reports AP.
President Farooq Leghari dismissed Benazir on November 5. charging her with corruption. economic mismanagement and sponsoring police nit-squads.
Benazir challenged the dismissal in court, and tried to block the general elections scheduled lor Monday. She has said she would refuse to accept the results unless she is reelected.
In today’s 6-1 ruling, the high court said the president s layers had produced evidence to substantiate the charges of corruption. phone tapping and extrajudicial killings.
"It was disappointing.' Benazir's lawyer. Atizaz Ahsan, said of the ruling.
Benazir said the decision
came as no surprise. At a news conference at her home in the southern port city of Karachi, she said she had prepared to withdraw her case two days ago. but her lawyers resisted.
I didn't expect any justice from the Supreme (Court) but they (the lawyers) said 'let’s go ahead and test the walers. ' she told reporters.
She said that if she doesn’t get the majority in the Monday’s vote, 'it is rigged'.
Hundreds of riot police surrounded the white marble courthouse, wearing helmets and holding steel shields.
About a dozen women lay on the tree-lined road blocking traffic. They carried placards demanding Benazir's return to power and tried to storm the Sates of the courthouse when re decision was announced. No one was injured.
AFP adds: Benazir is trailing behind her key political rival Nawaz Sharif only days before general elections, according to a survey published today.
Only 25 per cent of voters said they would vote for Benazir in Monday’s polls compared with 40 per cent who said they supported the former premier Sharif, the survey released by the Private Gallup-Pakistan said.
The gallup poll was conducted from January 19 to 22 in the rural and urban areas over d sample of more than 2.000 voters. It warned however, that its findings still left room for uncertainty.
In three previous elections In 1988. 1990 and 1993. the PPP was behind in early poll but surged just before the vote.
However, the poll said this time the lead of Sharifs Pakistan Muslim League (PML) could be too large to bridge in the race for the 217-member National Assembly.
The survey added that cricketer-turned politician Imran Khan and his 10-month-old Movement for Justice lyerc unlikely to garner much sup-port. Although he has a personal following of around 10 per cent of the electorate, his fledgling party may struggle to poll'more than five per cent.