Nine PML-N Ministers quit Pak government

ISLAMABAD: The political crisis gripping Pakistan deepened on Tuesday with nine ministers belonging to former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's party resigning over the issue of reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.

The ministers submitted their resignation letters to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as the coalition failed to meet a second deadline yesterday to restore the judges.

Sharif has been pressing hard for bringing back the judges, a move that may spell trouble for Musharraf who removed them in November fearing a verdict against his re-election.

Keen on keeping the path for reconciliation open, Gilani, apparently on instructions from PPP chief Asif Ali Zardari who is on a visit abroad, refused to accept the resignations and called for a "last minute effort" to save his six-week old fragile coalition.

"Let's do a last minute effort so that this issue is somehow resolved, he told Sharif's aides. On his part, Sharif assured Gilani that his party would continue to support the government.

PPP decided to keep the ministerial portfolios, except for Finance, vacant hoping to bring around Sharif's party.
The PML-N had nine ministers in the 24-member cabinet that was sworn in on March 31.

"A final decision about the resignations will be taken in consultation with the PPP co-chairman when he returns home," an official said.

Shortly after the ministers met Gilani, PML-N spokesman Siddique-ul-Farooq said his party could reconsider its decision to withdraw from the coalition if the PPP-led government took "practical steps" to reinstate the deposed judges in accordance with an agreement signed by the two parties in March.