The New Nation - Internet Edition

Reuters, Islamabad

Pakistani opposition parties began mapping out on Tuesday a list of demands that President Pervez Musharraf must meet to prevent their boycott of a January general election.

Former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif met in Islamabad on Monday and decided to set a deadline for the government to meet their demands, or else they would "move towards" a boycott of the January 8 vote.

A full opposition boycott would rob the vote of credibility and prolong instability in the nuclear-armed country that is crucial to U.S. efforts to fight al Qaeda and bring peace to neighboring Afghanistan.

Bhutto has previously said her party would reluctantly take part in the vote, while reserving the right to withdraw or to protest against an unfair result.

Sharif has called for a boycott unless judges Musharraf purged when he declared emergency rule on November 3 were reinstated.

Sharif registered to run nonetheless, but his nomination was rejected on Monday because of criminal convictions after his 1999 ouster by Musharraf that Sharif says were politically motivated.