This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/south_asia/7380221.stm

The article has changed 7 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Date for Pakistan judges' return Date for Pakistan judges' return
(30 minutes later)
Former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif says all the senior judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf last year will be reinstated on 12 May.Former Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif says all the senior judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf last year will be reinstated on 12 May.
He was speaking after briefing members of his PML-N party on the issue. He led his PML-N party in two days of talks with the biggest party in the new coalition government, the PPP, to resolve differences over the judges.
The PML-N has held two days of talks with the biggest party in Pakistan's new coalition government, the PPP, to resolve differences over the judges. The issue has threatened the stability of the coalition came to power as Mr Musharraf's popularity plummeted.
The issue has threatened the stability of the coalition government which is opposed to Mr Musharraf. The PPP wants the power of the judiciary to be reduced.
"I want to inform the entire nation that on Monday 12 May 2008, all deposed judges will be restored," Mr Sharif told journalists in Lahore. The judges were dismissed when President Musharraf declared a state of emergency in November.
Mr Sharif and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari spent Wednesday and Thursday discussing the issue in Dubai, where Mr Zardari lived for many years with his wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December. Supreme Court judges had been due to rule on whether his re-election was legal.
They were also due to rule on a controversial amnesty that covered former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband, Arif Ali Zardari, who now heads the PPP.
Resolution
"I want to inform the entire nation that on Monday 12 May 2008, all deposed judges will be restored," Mr Sharif told journalists in Lahore. "The national assembly will approve a resolution the same day."
SACKED JUDGES March 2007: President Musharraf suspends Supreme Court chief justice, triggering protests6 Oct 2007: President Musharraf wins election3 Nov 2007: President declares state of emergency and sacks around 60 judges22 Nov 2007: New Supreme Court upholds Musharraf election win18 Feb 2008: New coalition government of PPP and PML-N emerge victorious in parliamentary polls30 April 2008: Deadline set by two parties to reinstate sacked judges
The judges include Iftikhar Chaudhry who, as Supreme Court Chief Justice, became a focal point for opposition to President Musharraf last year.
Mr Sharif's party has campaigned for the unconditional reinstatement of the judges.
Benazir Bhutto, before her assassination in December, was far less clear.
Her widower, Mr Zardari had wanted the reinstatement of the judges to be part of a larger package of constitutional amendments which would include the weakening of their powers.
Work on that package will continue separately.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the question now is how President Musharraf will respond.
He has accused Mr Chaudhry in particular of leading a political campaign against him.
The differences between Mr Sharif and Mr Zardari became so serious that the two men had to hold two days of talks in Dubai, where Mr Zardari lived for many years with Ms Bhutto when she was in self-imposed exile.
On his return to Pakistan, Mr Sharif told reporters the judges would be reinstated "with dignity, respect and honour".On his return to Pakistan, Mr Sharif told reporters the judges would be reinstated "with dignity, respect and honour".
On Thursday he said the Dubai talks "yielded very positive results".
There has been no word from Mr Zardari on the talks.There has been no word from Mr Zardari on the talks.
President Musharraf sacked about 60 judges, including chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, in November 2007, after declaring a state of emergency. President Musharraf sacked about 60 judges in the state of emergency.
'Fully satisfied'
After the Dubai talks concluded, Mr Sharif said he was "fully satisfied" by the progress made.After the Dubai talks concluded, Mr Sharif said he was "fully satisfied" by the progress made.
"The judges will be restored through a [parliamentary] resolution," he said.
Judicial reforms sought by Mr Zardari were a "separate issue", he said, adding that he would give further details in Lahore on Friday.
SACKED JUDGES March 2007: President Musharraf suspends Supreme Court chief justice, triggering protests6 Oct 2007: President Musharraf wins election3 Nov 2007: President declares state of emergency and sacks around 60 judges22 Nov 2007: New Supreme Court upholds Musharraf election win18 Feb 2008: New coalition government of PPP and PML-N emerge victorious in parliamentary polls30 April 2008: Deadline set by two parties to reinstate sacked judges
The PPP's Sherry Rehman said there had been progress in the talks and that Mr Sharif would make a formal announcement on Friday.
"Judges will be reinstated, the parliament will also pass a resolution and there will also be a constitutional package," she said.
The talks between the two main coalition leaders started at a hotel in Dubai on Wednesday.
Mr Zardari had wanted to link the judges' reinstatement to a broader package of judicial reforms that would apparently curb the powers of the chief justice.
Mr Sharif had insisted that any reform package be worked out later, since restoring the judges had been his condition for joining the coalition.
At the time of the sackings, the Supreme Court was preparing to rule on whether Mr Musharraf's re-election that year was legal.
It was also due to rule on whether an amnesty the president granted to Mr Zardari and Mrs Bhutto in a number of corruption cases was legal.