The Chief Election Commissioner in Pakistan on Saturday approved nomination papers of President General Pervez Musharraf and his two major challengers, the News Network International (NNI) news agency quoted Secretary of Election Commission as saying.

A total of 17 nomination papers were submitted for Musharraf and all were approved by the Chief Election Commissioner Justice Qazi Muhammad Farooq, the secretary Kanwar Dilshad said.

All objections from the rival candidates and their lawyers at the papers of Musharraf were rejected.

A former Supreme Court judge Wajeehuddin Ahmed and Makhdoom Amin Faheem of opposition Peoples Party (PPP) are challenging Musharraf in the elections due on October 6.

The election chief also accepted their nomination papers and rejected more than 30 nomination papers of other candidates as their papers did not carry signatures of prospers and seconders.

The Election Commission will publish the final list of presidential candidates on October 1.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, who had filed nomination papers for Musharraf on Thursday, visited the office of Chief Election Commissioner to witness the scrutiny of nomination papers of Musharraf.

The Election Commission conducted the scrutiny of nomination papers as the authorities had erected barbed wires on roads leading to the Election Commission building to foil attempts from lawyers and opposition supporters to march on the office, according to the NNI report.

The police clashed with protesting lawyers and political activists, leaving several lawyers and protestors injured.

The Supreme Court ruled on Friday that the petitions against Musharraf's dual role filed by opposition party leaders and lawyers had been dismissed. Thus Musharraf was allowed to contest the forthcoming presidential elections in uniform.

(Xinhua News Agency September 30, 2007)