Pakistani elections to be contested

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, Dec. 9 (UPI) -- The general elections set to take place in Pakistan next month will be contested by Pakistani opposition leader Nawaz Sharif, officials said.

CNN said Sharif has been banned from taking part in January's general elections.

Officials said the planned move by the Pakistan Muslim League was decided after Sharif's party could not reach a boycott agreement with former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, CNN reported Sunday.

Both sides in the proposed agreement had opposed the January general elections, saying Pakistan's declared state of emergency would make the polls unfair.

The opposition comes even as President Pervez Musharraf has announced the emergency decree will end Saturday, a day earlier than originally stated.

The Pakistani leader has already resigned as the head of Pakistan's army after being the target of criticism in recent months.