Lahore, Dec 10: The Pakistan Government has decided not to release the detained judges who did not take oath under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) till after the forthcoming elections.

According to sources, the decision was taken after reports from various agencies stated that releasing the judges early could create problems for the PML-Q, increase anti-government feelings and cause the situation to spin out of control if the judges join the anti-government movement.

The government was advised to continue the detention till the elections were finished.

Meanwhile, PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal has said that former premier Nawaz Sharif wanted the January 8 vote to be a referendum on reinstating the judges President Pervez Musharraf deposed on November 3 to fend off challenges to his re-election while he was still Army Chief.

"We should ask people to vote for us if they want restoration of the judiciary, so that we can block their attempt to legitimise the November 3 action through parliament, " the Daily Times quoted Iqbal, as saying. (ANI)