APDM decides to boycott polls
Bureau Report

Lahore—The All-Pakistan Democratic Movement, an alliance of several opposition parties, late Thursday decided to boycott the Jan 8 general elections – president Musharraf’s announcement to lift emergency and the Provisional Constitution Order notwithstanding. The announcement was made by Nawaz Sharif, chief of his Pakistan Muslim League party and head of the APDM, private tv channels reported.
The APDM decision was taken after the leaders of the alliance had heard the speech of president Musharraf on the television earlier in the evening, the report said quoting Nawaz Sharif. Other reports said that Maulana Fazlur Rehman, head of the Jamiatul Ulema-i-Islam and a major component of Mutehda Majlis-i-Amal, the alliance of religious parties, was not present during the proceedings of the APDM’s crucial meeting.
Earlier, the Jamaat-i-Islami, headed by Qazi Hussain Ahmad, had adopted a resolution placing five pre-conditions for participating in the polls. Pakistan Peoples Party of Benazir Bhutto is not part of the APDM and the reaction of Benazir on her PPP on the latest situation was not available when last reports came in.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif Thursday dismissed Pervez Musharraf’s presidency as illegitimate, saying the Supreme Court bench he purged to ensure a second term should be restored to rule on his election. Hours after Musharraf was again sworn in as president, this time as a civilian, Sharif demanded he end emergency rule and release opponents jailed after the November 3 crackdown.
“Under the circumstances, we do not accept him as a legitimate president,” said Sharif. “The judiciary of November 2 must be restored,” said Sharif, adding that “that judiciary was thrown out by Mr Musharraf just for personal reasons.”
“Whatever decision that judiciary gives (on his re-election)...that would be a decision which would carry legitimacy and credibility,” he maintained. Sharif’s party is meeting other opposition groups to decide whether or not to shun the poll and isolate Musharraf.