By Shafqat Ali
Islamabad, May 12: Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday parted ways with the coalition government led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) after the failure of the parties’ talks to reinstate the sacked judges of the superior courts.
Mr Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) will, however, not sit on the Opposition benches for the time being and will extend support to the government on the basis of issues. "At this time, we are formally announcing quitting the Federal Cabinet. The ministers of my party will tender their resignations to the Prime Minister tomorrow (Tuesday)," Mr Sharif said at a press conference here.
Earlier, the PML-N’s central working committee held a meeting to discuss the "failed talks" on the judges’ issue between Mr Sharif and PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari in London.
"The PPP failed to keep its promise and that is why we have decided to part ways with the coalition government. You know very well by now that no breakthrough could be achieved on the issue of restoration ofdeposed judges after holding marathon negotiations with the Pakistan People’s Party," Mr Nawaz Sharif said.
The PPP and the PML(N) had committed in the Murree Declaration to reinstate the deposed judges to the November 2, 2007 position by passing a resolution in Parliament within 30 days of coming to power.
The judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, were sacked by President Pervez Musharraf on November 3, 2007 when he imposed emergency rule in the country.
"We left no stone unturned to keep our promise made in the Murree Declaration. I had to go to Dubai and then London to hold negotiations with the PPP on the issue, but to no avail. Our ministers will tender their resignations tomorrow (Tuesday)," said the PML(N) chief.
He said: "Our standpoint is that the steps taken on November 3 were unconstitutional and illegal. Over 60 judges were sacked in a single move by Gen. Pervez Musharraf, replacing them with his own men under a provisional constitutional order. We don’t accept these PCO (provisional constitutional order) judges."
The PML(N) chief was of the view that the country’s problems could not be solved without an independent judiciary. He vowed to continue the struggle for restoration of the judiciary along with the lawyers’ community, civil society and the people.
"We wanted the coalition government to remain intact but were left with no other choice than to walk out because of the deposed judges not being restored," Mr Sharif argued.
He said: "Although no longer part of the government, we will never be part of any conspiracy against it."
He said the PML(N) neither accepts pressure from the United States nor from any other country. "Our decisions always reflect the aspirations of the people of Pakistan," he added.
Prior to the press conference, an important meeting of the PML(N) was held here to evolve its future course of action, after the coalition government failed to meet the last deadline to reinstate the deposed judges.
All members of party’s central executive committee and parliamentarians attended the meeting, which was presided over by Mr Nawaz Sharif.
Mr Nawaz Sharif and his younger brother Shahbaz Sharif briefed the meeting about the discussions held with PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and US assistant secretary of state Richard Boucher in London.
Mr Nawaz Sharif and Mr Shahbaz Sharif arrived in Islamabad early on Monday morning from London after attending a series of meetings in a last-ditch to motivate Mr Zardari to implement the Murree Declaration.
