Major Pakistani political party, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), challenged in the Supreme Court the army action of the dismissal of the government of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif on November 15.

The Pakistani army led by General Pervaiz Musharraf, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and chief of the Army Staff, toppled the 31-month-old Sharif government on October 12 in a military coup.

PML lawyer Zafar Ali Shah filed the petition in the apex court, arguing the army action was "unconstitutional and illegal," the News Network International reported.

The petitioner pleaded for the restoration of the Sharif government and the suspended national and provincial assemblies.

The petition was received by Buddha Khan, assistant registrar of the Supreme Court. However, it was not confirmed whether or not the petition was admitted for hearing.

Zafar Ali Shah was of the opinion that General Musharraf had acted against an elected government in violation of the constitution.

Zafar Ali Shah, in his written petition, also described as illegal and unfounded the case against Nawaz Sharif on plane hijack charges, and pleaded to the court to declare Sharif's arrest as unconstitutional.