Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's presence in Pakistan is likely to inject fresh momentum to the political activities ahead of the January 8 elections in the emergency-ruled country, according to a leading daily.

Sharif, along with his family members, arrived in the country on Sunday to an emotionally charged welcome by his supporters, nearly seven years after he was forced into exile by military ruler Pervez Musharraf [Images]. According to The News, this spontaneous welcome is a pointer to the fundamental shift that their arrival brings into Pakistani politics.

'Musharraf must be worried about the impact Sharif's arrival has on the countrywide resistance to the imposition of martial law. Nawaz Sharif has demonstrated in the past that he has the ability to hold disparate political parties together. He may be able to overcome the differences within the All Parties Democratic Movement and weld it together as a formidable opposition to General Musharraf,' the daily said.

Timeline: Exiled Sharif returns to Pakistan

Pointing out that Sharif has also been in touch with Benazir Bhutto [Images], leader of the other major political force in the country, the Pakistan People's Party, the daily said he would be able to put together a joint opposition against the General. 'His words probably did not have as much impact with him sitting in Saudi Arabia'.

'Now that he is back, the possibility of the two major parties getting together on a minimum platform of restoring democracy appear much brighter. The sticking point is going to be participation in the election,' the report said.

According to the daily, 'The Pakistan Muslim League-Q, a party of opportunists created from a rump of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, will also likely to be a casualty. With Nawaz Sharif back home, many among this band of weather vanes have started to worry about their future'.