Former PM Sharif´s party quits Pakistan government

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Source: CCTV.com | 05-13-2008 10:47

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says his party will quit the cabinet over delays in reinstating judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf. His warning came Monday, as the deadline for restoring the judges passed.

Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif says his party will quit the cabinet over delays in reinstating judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf.

Nawaz Sharif, the chief Pakistan's Muslim League-Nawaz, announced that ministers from his party will resign Tuesday.

Sharif said, "Our central committee was held and continued Monday afternoon. Our parliamentary party also participated and a decision was made. As you know, May the 12th was the deadline. So our ministers will meet the Prime Minister on Tuesday to resign from the cabinet."

The PML-N is the second largest member of a four party alliance with nine of the 24 cabinet ministers belonging to the party.

Sharif said his party will not sit in opposition but will continue to support the Pakistan People's Party, or PPP government despite quitting the cabinet.

Sharif made restoring 60 judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf the main condition for joining the PPP-led coalition. Sharif wants the judges brought back as part of a strategy to drive Musharraf from office.

Musharraf purged the judiciary during a brief period of emergency rule last year fearing the Supreme Court could rule that his re-election was unlawful.

PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and Sharif signed a pact in March promising to restore the judges by April, but Sharif extended the deadline until May the 12 because of Zardari's foot-dragging.

Three days of talks in London between Sharif and Zardar ended on Sunday without any breakthrough.

Editor:Du Xiaodan