Pro-Musharraf party puts brave face on poll fight

By Augustine Anthony

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistan's dominant party published its election manifesto on Monday a day after its rival, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, said his party would take part in the polls raising the prospect of a hung parliament.

The Pakistan Muslim League (PML), which backs President Pervez Musharraf, played up the strong growth Pakistan has enjoyed under its rule and promised a mass literacy campaign and strong defence.

The party was cobbled together after Musharraf overthrew Sharif in 1999 to furnish Musharraf with a political base and analysts expect it to fare badly as Musharraf's popularity has slumped this year.

The participation of Sharif's party, the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz), sets the scene for a bruising battle in Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province which returns about half the members of parliament, between the two parties.

Former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, whose main area of strength is Sindh province in the south, will also be hopeful of picking up more seats in Punjab now that the votes against her will be split between the ruling party and Sharif's.

PML leaders put on a brave face when they launched their manifesto, saying they welcomed Sharif's decision to take his party into the election.

"We are very confident and ready to face any opponent. We have a strong manifesto and strong candidates," party secretary general Mushahid Hussain told reporters.

The party ruled until last month when a caretaker administration packed with party supporters took over to oversee the polls. It wields power in most district administrations.