The national election will be held in Pakistan on January 8, according to President Pervez Musharraf, but it’s not known if the emergency rule will be lifted until then.

"Inshallah (God willing), the general elections in the country would be held on January 8," Musharraf said, Reuters reports.

On Saturday U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte told Musharraf that unless the emergency rule is not lifted the election will suffer.

Negroponte left Pakistan on Sunday and said that: "Emergency rule is not compatible with free, fair and credible elections. If these steps aren't taken, it will certainly undermine the government's ability to conduct satisfactory elections."

On Monday the new Supreme Court began deliberating the legality of Musharraf’s emergency rule and his eligibility for serving another term as president.

By imposing the emergency rule on November 3 Musharraf wanted to avoid the annulment of his third re-election by the Supreme Court.

Opposition leaders don’t expect much from the new court, with justices chosen by the president.

Musharraf said that he will give up his army uniform and be a civilian president, but said that the emergency rule will remain in order to reinforce the fight against Islamist militants that threat Pakistan's stability and ensure the security of the elections.

Opposition parties vowed to boycott the election and said that the vote has no credibility as long as its members are detained.

Former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said: “We just wonder how we can have fair elections when so many people are under arrest and the media is gagged,” the Associated Press quotes.

Another former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, exiled by Musharraf is due to arrive in Islamabad on Monday and discuss whether he will take part in the elections.