FORMER prime minister Nawaz Sharif pulled his party out of Pakistan's six-week-old coalition government last night, plunging the volatile Muslim nation back into political uncertainty.
Mr Sharif, whose Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) was the second-largest member of a four-party alliance, made the announcement after failing to break a deadlock with its main coalition partner over the reinstatement of dismissed judges.
He made the
restoration of 60 judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf in November the main condition for joining the coalition led by the Pakistan People's Party of Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of the late Benazir Bhutto.
Three days of talks in London ended without a breakthrough.
"Our ministers will meet the prime minister tomorrow and will submit their resignations," Mr Sharif told a news conference.
Nine of the 24 ministers in prime minister Yousaf Raza Gilani's cabinet belong to Mr Sharif's party. Mr Sharif said his party would continue to support the government despite quitting the cabinet. "For the time being, we'll not sit in opposition," he said.
The decision came the same day the Commonwealth decided to readmit Pakistan, which was suspended last year when Mr Musharraf declared emergency rule.
The Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group said the suspension would be lifted immediately.
A suspended country cannot take part in Commonwealth meetings and Commonwealth aid projects in the country are halted.
There had been hopes that the alliance between the two main parties would assert civilian rule.
"It's a sad day for Pakistan," said Shafqat Mahmood, a political analyst. The people of Pakistan wanted this coalition to take forward the democratic process, restore the judiciary and, eventually, get rid of Musharraf."
The full article contains 284 words and appears in The Scotsman newspaper.
