Musharraf 'will quit army soon'

Political activists are continuing to protest against emergency rule

Pakistan's attorney general says he expects President Pervez Musharraf to resign as army head before 1 December.

Gen Musharraf has promised to step down once the Supreme Court validates his new term as president - a decision is expected in the next few days.

Meanwhile, Gen Musharraf is finalising a new, caretaker government to run the country once the current parliament's term expires at midnight local time.

State television said an announcement was expected later on Thursday.

The interim government is expected to take Pakistan into parliamentary elections due in January.

It comes as the two main opposition leaders, Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, say they have begun talks on forming an alliance.

Ms Bhutto has ruled out a power-sharing deal with Gen Musharraf

Ms Bhutto, who is under house arrest in Lahore, says she has ruled out the possibility of sharing power with Gen Musharraf, whom she accuses of taking Pakistan back towards military dictatorship.

The Supreme Court is to rule on whether Gen Musharraf's re-election last month was legal, and is also hearing a challenge to the emergency rule.

Correspondents say he is expected to win both cases after changing the make-up of the court when he declared the emergency on 3 November, sacking several judges who had shown judicial independence.

Media restrictions

Meanwhile, the international television channels BBC and CNN have returned to Pakistani screens, and two of the four main national news channels are back on air.

The government took the independent broadcast media off cable as part of strict curbs under the state of emergency.

Gen Musharraf had accused some broadcasters of adding to the political uncertainty that led to emergency rule.

The move to reinstate the services comes a day before an expected visit by US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte.

The United States has strongly criticised Pakistan's clampdown on the media and on opposition activists.