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Pak govt in crisis, Nawaz withdraws ministers
LAST UPDATE: Tuesday, 13 May 2008 - 12:17:46 AM
NEW DELHI: Former prime minister and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif has withdrawn his ministers from Pakistan's cabinet.
The PML-N's decision comes as the second deadline to restore sacked Supreme Court judges expired. PML-N and Asif Ali Zaradri's PPP have still not been able to break the deadlock on restoration of judges specifically on what to do with the judges sworn in by Pervez Musharraf under the PRO.
The PML-N, however, says that it would continue to sit in the treasury benches and will continue its support to the government from outside.
"We will sit on the benches but not in opposition," Sharif clarified in a press conference. "We will continue to support democracy in the country. We will continue to support the government from the outside."
He stated that the PML-N ministers would tender their resignation to the Prime Minister on Tuesday.
Sharif had been strident in demanding that the judges, sacked in November last year by then-General Pervez Musharraf, be reinstated.
"Judges restoration is the life line of the democracy of Pakistan," he stated. "We want all judges to be restored. It was decided at the time of the formation of government. Now, we have crossed deadline.
"We sent our teams to Dubai to see Zardari but again there was a deadlock," Sharif told the Press, and pointed out that May 12 was the deadline given.
"All our candidates want restoration of judges and Musharraf tried his level best to not allow it to happen. It is unfair that a dictator is allowed to suspend 60 judges in a second," he said.
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif had spoken exclusively to CNN-IBN and had said, "We are not party to any government decision till the restoration of judges." He added that the Executive Committee of the PML-N agreed with the decision.
The PPP had stated that restoration of the judges would take time.
"We will restore judges through a package according to the Constitution," the PPP told CNN-IBN. "After restoration, we are hopeful that our partners will come back." Sources in Dubai had also said last week that the judges would be restored through a Parliamentary resolution.
When asked to respond to PML-N's decision, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari said, "It is their decision to withdraw support. Yes, I am told that they are withdrawing ministers but I will continue my support to them in Punjab and PPP ministers will be in Punjab Cabinet."
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