The government says constitutional rights will be restored but the opposition says Musharraf can still manipulate a general election win on Jan. 8 for his allies and secure a power base despite growing unpopularity and unrest.
Citing spiralling militant violence, Musharraf imposed the emergency on Nov. 3, suspended the constitution and purged the Supreme Court to fend off challenges to his re-election, which new hand-picked judges have since rubber-stamped.
Facing international condemnation, including from his ally the United States, Musharraf said he would restore the constitution in a move Western nations hope will stabilise the nuclear-armed state facing rising Islamic militant violence.
But some lawyers and judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, who were deposed by Musharraf are still being held under house arrest. The Pakistani media criticised this week a ban on live broadcasts as an attempt to control election coverage.
The end of the emergency may not change that.
"I know I won't be released, the lifting of the state of emergency will not change anything," said Tariq Mehmood, a leading opposition lawyer who has been under house arrest since Musharraf imposed emergency rule.
"The army and Musharraf will still be in total control." Election monitors and many politicians fear Musharraf despite calls for a fair vote, can rig the polls through a network of district chiefs, bogus votes and by excluding opposition supporters from ballot stations.
Attorney General Malik Qayyum said the government was considering an opposition demand to suspend district administrations for the polls.