Sharif rules out serving under Musharraf

ISLAMABAD: Seeking a 'level-playing field' in the ensuing poll, former premier Nawaz Sharif on Sunday demanded a complete roll back of emergency by Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf and ruled out serving under his presidency.
   
"He (Musharraf) has to first roll back all that he has done since November 3, that is very essential, everything he has done since November three has to be reversed and rolled back completely before we could discuss about the possibility of any talks," Sharif told CNN over phone in Medina prior to his departure to Lahore on a special Saudi government plane.
   
Asked if he would agree to a power-sharing deal that envisaged Musharraf as President and him as Prime Minister, Sharif said, "No, no, no, no question."
   
Ahead of the planned general elections in January, Sharif urged Musharraf to ensure a "level playing field" to facilitate free and fair polls.

Sharif was asked whether he will 'accommodate' the General, who ousted him in a bloodless coup in 1999, or have talks with him.
    
"I can't alone decide, of course the All Parties Democratic Movement can decide on it (holding talks with Musharraf," the 57-year-old leader of Pakistan Muslim League (N) added.

Asked if he was ready to serve as Pakistan's next Prime Minister under Musharraf, who had ousted him in a bloodless coup in 1999, Sharif retorted "No, No, No, No question."
   
He said the All Parties Democratic Movement (APDM), an opposition grouping of which the PML-N party is a member, would take part in the polls only if Musharraf ended the emergency and released all arrested opposition members.
   
"I am going back home on a short notice, only yesterday people of Pakistan came to know that I am coming today. I finalised travelling plans yesterday, let me go back to my country, let us sit down and review the whole situation."
   
Sharif also confirmed that he had been holding talks with former premier Benazir Bhutto, who returned to Pakistan from exile in October "to find common ground" in the opposition to Musharraf's regime.
   
"We both have been interacting over the past few days, so let's see what comes out of it," he said.
   
Sharif said he had refused recent attempts by Musharraf to meet him in Saudi Arabia.

Sharif said he rejected Musharraf's offer because they "are poles apart".