Nawaz Sharif's party to contest Pak polls

Overturning its stand to boycott the coming general elections in Pakistan, former premier Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N party has decided to take part in the exercise following a similar decision by assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto's party.

"Since the Pakistan People's Party is taking part in the elections and has appealed to us to take part, we decided to reverse our decision. The decision to participate in the polls will be formally announced after a meeting of the PML-N's top leaders on January 1," PML-N leader Siddique-ul-Farooq told PTI.

He said his party would work jointly with Bhutto's party to achieve democracy and end dictatorship. This was agreed on when Sharif met Bhutto's husband Asif Ali Zardari at Naudero in Sindh province on Sunday.

"It was decided that we would go along with the decision made by the PPP with regard to participating in the polls," Farooq said.