Special report: Pakistani Situation

Pakistan's former prime minister Benazir Bhutto (C) speaks to media as she submits her nomination papers for national assembly seat NA-204 to the district session court judge at a court in her home town of Larkana Nov. 26, 2007.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani former prime minister and main opposition leader Benazir Bhutto filed for her nominations Monday for national assembly elections in the southern central city of Larkana, local media reported.

    "Despite calls for boycott of the polls by main opposition camps ...Elections have been announced and all the main players have jumped into the arena," the Dawn News channel said, noting that former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif was also expected to file for his nominations later the day.

    Bhutto, life chairperson of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), had flied from her party's stronghold Karachi on the previous day after filing her nomination there for reserved seats for women in the National Assembly.

    She submitted her nomination papers for the National Assembly Seats to the local election commission returning officer Monday in Larkana, her home town in northwest of Sindh province, the Dawn News reported.

    Monday was the last day decided by the Election Commission for submitting nomination papers for the national and province assembly elections, which was scheduled on Jan. 8.

    The PPP has announced its final list of contestants but Bhutto has obviously been hesitating over her next move, allowing party members to file for nominations while leaving the option of a boycott open.

    Bhutto returned from 8 years of exile on Oct. 18 and has since been touring major cities across the country to gather support.

    In a separate development, Nawaz Sharif, former prime minister and major opposition leader, returned to Pakistan on Sunday evening. He was expected to file for nominations in Lahore later Monday.