General Musharraf has promised a return to civilian rule

"Seek instructions from the government when you are going hold elections and restore democracy," Chief Justice Irshad Hasan Khan told the state attorney, Sharifuddin Pirzada.

The demand was made as the Supreme Court heard a challenge from the party of ousted Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif.

His Pakistan Muslim League party has asked the court to review its ruling last May, when it upheld General Musharraf's coup.

"Our elected government did not lose its moral authority to rule," said Wasim Sajjad, chairman of the suspended Pakistan Senate.

"Either the assemblies should be restored or elections should be held," he said.

Devolution

In December, the military administration began holding local council elections as part of a plan for the devolution of power.

Nawaz Sharif is now in exile

The elections are to be concluded by the middle of 2001.

General Musharraf has pledged to follow the polls with provincial and then national elections.

He has, however, refused to let former Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto or Nawaz Sharif take part in politics, accusing them both of corruption.

Ms Bhutto has lived abroad in self-imposed exile since early last year, fearing arrest after a special court convicted her on a disputed corruption charge.

In early December, Mr Sharif was pardoned by General Musharraf after being sentenced to prison terms of up to 25 years, released from a fort prison and exiled to Saudi Arabia for 10 years.