Former Pakistani prime minister Nawaz Sharif agreed yesterday to a debate in parliament next week on the restoration of judges deposed last year, putting back a deadline on a demand that could split the ruling coalition.
Investors and allies hoped the resignation of former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf on Monday would end wrangling that has distracted attention from the country’s deteriorating economy and militant violence.
But the party of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and its old rival and main coalition partner, Sharif’s party, have failed to agree on the restoration of the purged judges.
Sharif has been demanding the judges be restored to the bench and had threatened to pull his party out of a coalition if that was not done by yesterday.
But he told a news conference he had agreed to a parliamentary resolution and debate on the restoration, while setting a new deadline of Wednesday.
“This resolution should be tabled before parliament on Monday ... On Wednesday, it should be passed and the judges restored,” Sharif said.
“We do not want to quit the coalition and wish to go along with our coalition partners,” he said.
But there was no immediate comment from Bhutto’s party. A deal would require its support, but it has shown no sign of keeping its vow to restore the judges.
The fate of the 60 judges, including the chief justice, who were deposed by Musharraf under emergency rule in November, has become a political sticking point with crucial repercussions for the coalition.
Bhutto’s party is reluctant to restore the judges because of concern the deposed chief justice might challenges an amnesty from graft charges granted to Asif Ali Zardari and others last year, analysts say.
The wrangling has hurt Pakistan’s stocks and currency, which both strengthened when Musharraf stepped down but have weakened as a showdown loomed.
Sharif had already withdrawn ministers from the Cabinet after Bhutto’s party missed an earlier deadline for action on the judges.
But even if his party were to move to the opposition benches in parliament it would not force a parliamentary election, analysts say.
Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) is the biggest in parliament and should be able to gather enough support to remain in government.
Another divisive issue is likely to be the next president. The PPP is proposing Bhutto’s widower, Zardari, and was to make an announcement on his nomination yesterday.
The Election Commission said a presidential election would be held on Sept. 6, with nominations due by Tuesday.
Under the Constitution, a new president is elected by members of within 30 days of the post becoming vacant.
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