Former premier Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N on Monday decided to participate in Pakistan's general election after the All-Party Democratic Movement, the country's largest opposition alliance, failed to achieve consensus on boycotting the polls.
"We will participate in the polls and we will see about seat adjustments later," Shahbaz Sharif, a senior PML-N leader and the brother of the former prime minister, said after a marathon meeting of the APDM.
The six-hour-long meeting chaired by Nawaz Sharif also agreed that the constituents of the APDM would independently decide on the issue of taking part or boycotting the January 8 parliamentary polls.
The APDM discussed various options, including a proposal to put off a decision on the boycott till a few days before the polls, but failed to reach consensus.
"There was no consensus on whether to boycott or participate in the elections. The members felt both options could be adopted," PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq told a news conference after the meeting held at Sharif's residence.
"The APDM will remain intact and its members will hold discussions and take decisions independently on whether to boycott or participate in the polls," Haq said.
PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal too said his party would take part in the polls following the APDM's failure to reach a consensus.
Reports said there was considerable pressure on Sharif from leaders and workers of the PML-N to participate in the election in view of the decision by former premier Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party not to boycott the electoral process.
Most of the 33 constituents of the APDM too favoured contesting the polls. Among the few parties that were keen on a boycott were the Jamaat-e-Islami and Imran Khan's Tehreek-e-Insaf, APDM leaders said.
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who has already announced his party will take part in the polls, did not attend the APDM meeting.
Haq said the PML-N would now launch a campaign to mobilise the people that would be spearheaded by Sharif.
"Mian Nawaz Sharif will go across the country to contact and mobilise the people. He will soon travel to Faisalabad and Karachi to kick off this campaign," he said.
The "item number one" on the PML-N's agenda will be the reinstatement of the deposed judges of the superior judiciary and the restoration of the constitution of 1973, Haq said.
All constituents of the APDM had agreed that the people should be mobilised for the campaign against the dictatorship, Haq said.
"We will take all issues to the people to get their support. This is the best way to put pressure on the government. If all the 160 million people come out seeking a change, nothing can prevent a change."
Asked if the APDM would continue its discussions with the PPP to reach an understanding on boycotting the polls, Haq said: "Mohtarma (Benazir Bhutto) is in Dubai. Let her return and then we will see."
