Bhutto gears for Pakistani poll, Sharif for boycott

Islamabad: Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto geared up on Friday for a January election as opposition leader Nawaz Sharif hope to persuade her to boycott the vote.

Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party said it had made a very difficult decision to take part in the election while reserving the right to withdraw.

"We are taking part in the election under protest," said party spokeswoman Sherry Rehman.

Bhutto is due to unveil her party's manifesto later on Friday.

Bowing to international pressure, President Pervez Musharraf stepped down on Wednesday as army chief, hours after taking the oath as civilian president.

He also vowed that parliamentary elections would go ahead on January 8 and urged everyone, including Bhutto and Sharif, to take part in the elections.

Sharif said he and some allies had decided "in principle" to boycott the vote unless judges purged after Musharraf declared emergency rule were reinstated.