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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Deadline looms for Pakistan talks | Deadline looms for Pakistan talks |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| Former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif has arrived in Dubai for urgent talks with coalition partners on the fate of Pakistan's sacked judges. | Former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif has arrived in Dubai for urgent talks with coalition partners on the fate of Pakistan's sacked judges. |
| The month-old government's deadline to reinstate the judges ends on Wednesday. | The month-old government's deadline to reinstate the judges ends on Wednesday. |
| Mr Sharif's spokesman said he would meet Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari, at whose Dubai residence talks are taking place. | Mr Sharif's spokesman said he would meet Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari, at whose Dubai residence talks are taking place. |
| The sides differ over how much power to give to judges whom President Musharraf | |
| sacked under emergency rule last year. | |
| 'Stalemate' | 'Stalemate' |
| Before his departure, Mr Sharif said he wanted the coalition to stay together but warned of disastrous consequences for democracy in Pakistan if the judges were not restored as agreed earlier by the two leaders. | Before his departure, Mr Sharif said he wanted the coalition to stay together but warned of disastrous consequences for democracy in Pakistan if the judges were not restored as agreed earlier by the two leaders. |
| Pakistani media reports suggest that Mr Zardari wanted to link the reinstatement of judges to a set of comprehensive constitutional reforms. | Pakistani media reports suggest that Mr Zardari wanted to link the reinstatement of judges to a set of comprehensive constitutional reforms. |
| Nawaz Sharif is going to Dubai to break the deadlock in the talks - there is stalemate PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal | Nawaz Sharif is going to Dubai to break the deadlock in the talks - there is stalemate PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal |
| The PML-N leader will meet Mr Zardari and make a "last-ditch effort to convince him to reinstate judges", party secretary Imran Khwaja told AFP news agency. | The PML-N leader will meet Mr Zardari and make a "last-ditch effort to convince him to reinstate judges", party secretary Imran Khwaja told AFP news agency. |
| The PPP and PML-N swept to victory in parliamentary elections in February following the assassination of Mr Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in December. | The PPP and PML-N swept to victory in parliamentary elections in February following the assassination of Mr Zardari's wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, in December. |
| They went on to forge a post-election alliance with a promise that judges sacked under a six-week state of emergency late last year would be reinstated. | They went on to forge a post-election alliance with a promise that judges sacked under a six-week state of emergency late last year would be reinstated. |
| President Musharraf sacked top judges in November | President Musharraf sacked top judges in November |
| But since then divisions have emerged. Mr Sharif's trip to Dubai comes at a time of apparent stalemate. The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says it is difficult to say whether differences over the judges issue could bring the coalition down, given the position the two parties have taken so far. | But since then divisions have emerged. Mr Sharif's trip to Dubai comes at a time of apparent stalemate. The BBC's M Ilyas Khan in Karachi says it is difficult to say whether differences over the judges issue could bring the coalition down, given the position the two parties have taken so far. |
| Our correspondent says there is considerable pressure on both sides to restore the judges, but there is equal pressure on them to work together to ease people's economic hardships. | Our correspondent says there is considerable pressure on both sides to restore the judges, but there is equal pressure on them to work together to ease people's economic hardships. |
| Even if the PML-N decided to leave the government, other coalition partners would be unlikely to follow suit, our correspondent says. | Even if the PML-N decided to leave the government, other coalition partners would be unlikely to follow suit, our correspondent says. |
| Differences | Differences |
| President Musharraf sacked the judges when it became clear that the Supreme Court was preparing to rule on whether his re-election earlier in 2007 was legal. | President Musharraf sacked the judges when it became clear that the Supreme Court was preparing to rule on whether his re-election earlier in 2007 was legal. |
| Mr Chaudhry became a focal point for anti-Musharraf forces | Mr Chaudhry became a focal point for anti-Musharraf forces |
| The court was also due to rule on whether an amnesty he granted Ms Bhutto in a number of corruption cases was legal. Mr Sharif was not covered under the amnesty. | The court was also due to rule on whether an amnesty he granted Ms Bhutto in a number of corruption cases was legal. Mr Sharif was not covered under the amnesty. |
| Discussions between the two main governing parties have stalled over important details. | Discussions between the two main governing parties have stalled over important details. |
| The PML-N wants an unconditional restoration of the sacked judges. | The PML-N wants an unconditional restoration of the sacked judges. |
| It hopes parliament will declare President Musharraf's state of emergency an illegal act, paving the way for his impeachment. | It hopes parliament will declare President Musharraf's state of emergency an illegal act, paving the way for his impeachment. |
| The PPP argues that the judges who replaced the sacked chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, and his colleagues should lose their jobs because it says they acted unlawfully in upholding the declaration of emergency rule. | The PPP argues that the judges who replaced the sacked chief justice, Iftikhar Chaudhry, and his colleagues should lose their jobs because it says they acted unlawfully in upholding the declaration of emergency rule. |
| Members of the PPP disagree with this view, saying most of the sacked judges upheld President Musharraf's 1999 coup and should be treated no differently. | Members of the PPP disagree with this view, saying most of the sacked judges upheld President Musharraf's 1999 coup and should be treated no differently. |
| The party wants to link their reinstatement to a comprehensive raft of constitutional reforms redefining the powers of parliament, president, prime minister and top judiciary. | The party wants to link their reinstatement to a comprehensive raft of constitutional reforms redefining the powers of parliament, president, prime minister and top judiciary. |
| It would like to see most of the sacked judges reinstated, but without the current incumbents losing their jobs. | It would like to see most of the sacked judges reinstated, but without the current incumbents losing their jobs. |
| Correspondents say that there have been discussions about whether all of the judges should be restored with the exception of Mr Chaudhry, who gained a reputation for judicial activism. | Correspondents say that there have been discussions about whether all of the judges should be restored with the exception of Mr Chaudhry, who gained a reputation for judicial activism. |