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Musharraf to lift emergency early Sharif's party to contest polls
(40 minutes later)
President Musharraf plans to lift Pakistan's state of emergency on 15 December, a day earlier than planned. The party of Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif will contest general elections due to be held in January, officials have said.
In an interview with US broadcaster CNN, the president confirmed remarks by his attorney general that "the emergency will be finished on the 15th". The PML-N's decision came after party leaders failed to agree a boycott with Mr Sharif's key rival, Benazir Bhutto.
The two sides complained the poll would not be fair, given a state of emergency imposed by President Pervez Musharraf.
Mr Musharraf said on Sunday he would lift the emergency on 15 December, a day earlier than planned.
In an interview with US broadcaster CNN, he confirmed remarks by his attorney general that "the emergency will be finished on the 15th".
Emergency rule was declared more than a month ago. President Musharraf has since quit his post as army chief.Emergency rule was declared more than a month ago. President Musharraf has since quit his post as army chief.
It is not clear why the president has decided to bring forward the end of the Mr Sharif is himself barred from standing in the election.
emergency, even if only by a day.
On Saturday Pakistan's Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum told Reuters news agency: "Everybody says the emergency must be lifted, so earlier the better."