The New Nation - Internet Edition

Agencies

Ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced that his party is withdrawing from the federal Cabinet but will not join the parliamentary opposition.

Sharif says ministers from his party will meet with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday and hand in their resignations.

Sharif announced the move Monday after the failure of weekend talks with the party of Asif Ali Zardari over the reinstatement of judges axed by President Pervez Musharraf in November. While the civilian government is likely to survive, Sharif's move raises doubts over its stability and is a setback to Pakistan's transition to democracy after eight years of military rule under Musharraf.

Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif says his PML-N is quitting because of differences over the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif wants the judges, who became a focus of opposition to Musharraf, to get all their old powers back.

But the biggest party, the PPP, wants limitations on their powers.

"Our ministers will meet the prime minister tomorrow and will submit their resignations," Sharif told journalists in Islamabad after meeting party colleagues.

All the major players in Pakistan are trying to gain grounds by playing political football of the reinstatement of the Judges.

However, he indicated that he would support the Pakistan People's Party-led government from the backbenches on an issue-by-issue basis. "We will not become part of any conspiracy to destabilise the democratic process," he said.

Sharif said that the coalition had twice failed to meet deadlines to restore the judges sacked by President Musharraf. Reinstating the judges was one of Sharif's key election promises and his condition for joining the coalition.

The news came as the Commonwealth decided to re-admit Pakistan as a member.

Pakistan was suspended in November after President Musharraf refused to meet a deadline to lift the state of emergency and resign as army chief.