ISLAMABAD, 14 May 2008 — Nine ministers belonging to the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif resigned yesterday over the issue of restoring sacked judges. But Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani refused to accept their resignations and called for a last-ditch effort to resolve the judges issue.
Sharif, who heads the second-biggest party in the coalition, announced Monday his members were quitting the Cabinet after failing to reach agreement to reinstate judges dismissed late last year by President Pervez Musharraf.
A four-party coalition led by the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto was formed after an election in February that resulted in defeat for Musharraf’s allies. The alliance between the PPP and Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League (N) raised hopes for a stable civilian government in the country.
“Let’s make a last-minute effort, so that this issue is somehow resolved,” Gilani told Sharif’s aides in comments telecast by state-run Pakistan Television. Gilani said he would wait for Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of Benazir Bhutto, who now leads the PPP, to return to Pakistan from Britain before taking a final decision on the resignations.
Zardari says he is committed to restoring the judges but wants to link it to constitutional changes whereas as Sharif wants the judges reinstated without conditions.
Sharif’s promise that his party would still support the government while no longer being part of it, provided little solace for a nation tired of turmoil. “I voted in the hope that something good will happen but I don’t see that,” said Nighat Anis, a teacher at a school on the outskirts of the capital, Islamabad. “I’m very upset, really very upset. Sometimes I think I should leave the country.”
Zardari’s party expressed “respect” for the decision and said the parties remained close.
But a spokesman for Sharif sharpened the tone yesterday, accusing members of the PPP of “serving the interests” of Musharraf by blocking the judges’ restoration.
“Such loyalists of Musharraf are to be blamed for our decision to quit the Cabinet,” Sadiqul Farooq said.
Farooq claimed that Zardari aides had secret contacts with Musharraf.
Zardari party spokesman Farhatullah Babar denied there had been any back-channel contact with Musharraf and insisted his party remained committed to restoring the judges. He said Zardari would meet party leaders and hold talks with Sharif at a later date.
Meanwhile, Sharif has decided to contest by-elections for a seat in the National Assembly from two constituencies — Lahore and Rawalpindi. PML (N) lawmaker Hanif Abbasi said Sharif would contest the vacant seat of Javed Hashmi in Rawalpindi and also NA-123 in Lahore.
He said Sharif’s decision followed the failure of London talks over the restoration of the deposed judges.
— With input from agencies
