Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Thursday announced that the All Parties Democratic Movement will boycott the general elections in the country, scheduled to be held on January 8.
The former premier's remarks came close on the heels of President Pervez Musharraf announcing that he would lift the month-long state of emergency on December 16.
Late Wednesday night, former prime minister Benazir Bhutto met President Musharraf in Islamabad and the two had discussed the threat by the opposition alliance led by Sharif's PML-N to boycott the January elections.
Tariq Aziz, Secretary of National Security Council, was involved in talks between Musharraf and Bhutto. Some leaders of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party also participated in the meeting, ARY channel reported.
The APDM is an Opposition grouping, which includes hardline alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal, Sharif's PML-N and Imran Khan's Tehreek-e Insaf.