Benazir Bhutto

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto says the participation of the country's two main opposition parties will help ensure next month's elections are free and fair.

She told reporters Tuesday that the government will either allow a fair vote or it will so thoroughly manipulate the results that the rigging will be exposed.

Opposition leaders discussed boycotting the elections but failed to agree on a set of demands for taking part. Ms. Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League Party, the largest opposition parties, have now said they will participate.

On Monday, Mr. Sharif said Ms. Bhutto undermined a united opposition boycott of the polls by not supporting the reinstatement of deposed Supreme Court judges.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.