Islamabad: Pakistan's ruling party chief Shujaat Hussain is likely to file his nomination papers for the upcoming presidential poll as a covering candidate for Pervez Musharraf, a leading daily reported here today.

"If Musharraf is not allowed by the Supreme Court to contest for the slot of President while holding the post of Army chief, the Pakistan Muslim League must have a substitute. So, the party's central leadership has requested Hussain to submit his nomination papers," sources told the Daily Times .

The unnamed sources said that if Shujaat Hussain were elected as President for the next five years from Parliament, then he would be authorised to extend Musharraf's tenure as the Chief of the Army Staff for the next one to two years. "At least one office, either COAS or President, must remain with Musharraf till the next general elections slated for later this year, so that the party can maintain its position in the next assemblies," the sources said, quoting the party's central leaders as saying.

It may be stated here that replying to a query, the Pakistani government had yesterday told the Supreme Court that Musharraf's term as President would end on November 15 but he would continue as the Army chief till his successor's appointed.

Meanwhile, the PML leaders have also expressed their dissatisfaction over the government's ongoing negotiations with self-exiled former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party. "If the deal is finalised and Musharraf is re-elected as President, then only the situation would favour the PML in the forthcoming general elections. But, if Musharraf is unable to contest for the presidency, then the office must remain with the ruling party," an office-bearer said.