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Pakistan's government in turmoil Pakistan's government in turmoil
(about 4 hours later)
Ministers belonging to one of the main parties in Pakistan have handed in their resignations, just three months after landmark general elections. Nine ministers from a leading party in Pakistan's new coalition have handed in their resignations, plunging the country into political uncertainty.
Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif decided to pull his PML-N out of the government because of differences over the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Musharraf. Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif decided to pull his PML-N out of government because it had failed to meet a promise to reinstate judges sacked by President Musharraf.
Mr Sharif wants the judges, who became a focus of opposition to Mr Musharraf, to get all their old powers back. The resignations, which the prime minister has yet to accept, follow landmark general elections in February.
But the biggest party, the PPP, wants limitations on their powers. Coalition leaders deny the six-week-old government is in danger of collapse.
State television said nine ministers from the PML-N tendered their resignations to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani at his office in Islamabad. But analysts have called the pull-out a huge set-back that could lead to growing instability.
Mr Gilani declined to accept the resignations, saying he would wait until Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader Asif Zardari returned to the country, an aide said. Let's do a last-minute effort so that this issue is somehow resolved Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani class="" href="/1/hi/world/south_asia/7398179.stm"> How serious is the split?
Mr Zardari is due back from Britain late on Tuesday, reports said. The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says the move has raised fears of another round of political turbulence in Pakistan.
She says further cracks in the alliance may give a lease of life to pro-Musharraf parties which were defeated in recent elections.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani is waiting until Mr Zardari returns from abroad before accepting the resignations, an aide said.
Issue-by-issueIssue-by-issue
Mr Sharif has said that despite quitting the government, his party would support the Pakistan People's Party (PPP)-led government from the treasury benches on an issue-by-issue basis. Mr Sharif and his main coalition partner, Pakistan People's Party leader Asif Zardari, say they will continue working together while trying to resolve differences over how to reinstate deposed judges.
"We will not become part of any conspiracy to destabilise the democratic process," he said on Monday.
Both sides were eager to avoid the appearance of a major rift, but analysts called the pull-out a huge set-back that could lead to growing instability.
The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says further cracks in the alliance may give a lease of life to pro-Musharraf parties which were defeated in recent elections.
HAVE YOUR SAYThe judges' issue should be put on back burner and other issues like state of economy and energy crisis should be addressed.Zafar, LahoreSend us your commentsHAVE YOUR SAYThe judges' issue should be put on back burner and other issues like state of economy and energy crisis should be addressed.Zafar, LahoreSend us your comments
Mr Sharif also announced on Monday that he would run in a by-election next month in the city of Rawalpindi. Our correspondent says Mr Sharif lost patience after a second deadline was missed on Monday.
He said his ministers were quitting because the coalition had twice failed to meet deadlines to restore the judges sacked by President Musharraf. He has said his party will continue to support the government on an issue-by-issue basis.
Reinstating the judges was one of Mr Sharif's key election promises and his condition for joining the coalition. "We will not become part of any conspiracy to destabilise the democratic process," he said on Monday.
A statement from the PPP called the PML-N move "a pause in the process and not a break in the purpose of restoration of judges". But Mr Sharif also said his party would join lawyers in protest, demanding that the government reinstate the judges.
It said ministries vacated by the PML-N would not be filled and hoped the issue could be resolved "amicably and in a spirit of accommodation and mutual trust". Our correspondent says the restoration of the judges is opposed by President Musharraf who sees them as hostile to his rule.
The party also said it had no plans to field a candidate against Mr Sharif in the Rawalpindi by-election. Analysts say he would welcome a split in the coalition, which has sidelined him since winning elections in February.
A split would also reinforce a perception that Mr Zardari is working with the unpopular president.
DifferencesDifferences
The alliance had set Monday as the latest deadline to reinstate the judges, but Mr Sharif and Mr Zardari wrapped up talks in London without reaching a deal. Reinstating the judges was one of Mr Sharif's key election promises and his condition for joining the coalition.
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 judges12 May 2008: Second deadline to restore judges Q&A: Pakistan's judges Commonwealth readmits PakistanSACKED 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 judges12 May 2008: Second deadline to restore judges Q&A: Pakistan's judges Commonwealth readmits Pakistan
The new government had initially promised to restore the senior judges by the end of April. He wants the judges to be given their jobs back without conditions.
Ten days ago, following earlier talks, Mr Sharif announced that all the senior judges sacked by President Musharraf last year would be reinstated on 12 May. Mr Zardari says their reinstatement should be part of a larger package of constitutional amendments which would include reducing their powers.
Mr Sharif's party has campaigned for the unconditional reinstatement of the judges.
Mr Zardari wants the reinstatement of the judges to be part of a larger package of constitutional amendments which would include reducing their powers.
President Musharraf sacked about 60 judges - some sitting in the Supreme Court - in November 2007, after declaring a state of emergency.President Musharraf sacked about 60 judges - some sitting in the Supreme Court - in November 2007, after declaring a state of emergency.
The Supreme Court had been due to rule on whether his re-election was legal.The Supreme Court had been due to rule on whether his re-election was legal.
They had also been due to rule on a controversial amnesty covering Mr Zardari and his wife Benazir Bhutto, who was later assassinated. It had also been due to rule on a controversial amnesty covering Mr Zardari and his wife Benazir Bhutto, who was later assassinated.
Analysts say the coalition parties are deeply politically divided - the Pakistan People's Party wanted to avoid a confrontation with the president, while Nawaz Sharif was prepared for one.