PPP, PML-N clinch power-sharing deal

POWER EQUATION: The Pakistan People's Party gave in to Sharif's demand of re-instating the judges.

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Islamabad: Nawaz Sharif's PML-N will join a PPP-led coalition government in Pakistan and the judges sacked last year during emergency will be reinstated, the two main parties announced on Sunday after sealing a power-sharing deal, throwing a fresh challenge to embattled President Pervez Mushaarraf.

A joint declaration signed by PML(N) chief Nawaz Sharif and PPP Chairman Asif Ali Zardari after their one-to-one talks said that Sharif's party will support the prime ministerial candidate from slain leader Benazir Bhutto's PPP, which emerged as the single largest party after the March 18 poll.

The Pakistan People's Party gave in to Sharif's demand of reinstating the judges sacked by Musharraf as the two parties said that they will be moving a parliamentary resolution within 30 days to restore the pre-emergency judiciary.

The talks were held at Sharif's weekend retreat in the hill resort of Murree, 60 km from here under tight security.

PML-N had demanded the reinstatement of judges, including the former Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, which has been strongly opposed by Musharraf who had even said that he would quit if such a step was taken.

Zardari and Sharif have met twice to discuss government formation while their close aides have held several rounds of discussions in the past few weeks to work out modalities.

Sharif had said his party's top priority remained the reinstatement of the deposed judges. There would no change in this stand, he said on Saturday.