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BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Pakistani parties to share power - VIDEO NEWS REPORT:
Zardari and Sharif jubilant as deal is signed



Nawaz Sharif (l) and Asif Ali Zardari were winners in February's elections

Last Updated: Sunday, 9 March 2008, 13:14 GMT

Pakistani parties to share power

The leaders of the two parties that won Pakistan's elections have signed an agreement on a coalition government.

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and ex-PM Nawaz Sharif called on President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament immediately.

February's parliamentary elections delivered a crushing defeat to parties loyal to President Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Musharraf has urged the incoming government to leave politics aside and concentrate on good governance.

The coalition deal will bring together the Pakistan People's Party, which was led by Benazir Bhutto until her assassination, and the PML(N) party of Mr Sharif.

'Blow to Musharraf'

Mr Sharif has consistently called for the president to step down in the wake of the elections, which were regarded as a key step in Pakistan's transition from military to civilian rule.

The BBC's Barbara Plett, in Islamabad, says the deal will be seen as a further blow to Mr Musharraf who will face a parliament dominated by his adversaries.

Two issues had dominated the talks: The PML(N) party's insistence that judges sacked by Mr Musharraf in November be reinstated, and the PPP's desire for Mr Sharif's party to formally sign up to the cabinet.

Mr Zardari and Mr Sharif told a news conference that both matters had been settled.

Send us your commentsAll the sacked judges will be reinstated via a parliamentary resolution passed within 30 days of forming a new government.

That appears to mean that the chief justice will get back his job, in defiance of Mr Musharraf's strong objections, our correspondent says.

In return Nawaz Sharif has agreed that his party will join the cabinet - even though he does not recognise the president's right to rule.

The PPP said it would proceed cautiously when it came to dealing with the president.

But most analysts see this as a step either to the reduction of his powers - or a confrontation between the new parliament and the presidency.

Benazir Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack in the garrison city of Rawalpindi on 27 December, causing the elections to be delayed.

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March 09, 2008 Sunday Safar 30, 1429

Asif, Nawaz to tackle the nitty-gritty today: Power-sharing agreement

By Amir Wasim

ISLAMABAD, March 8: A crucial meeting between PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif will be held in Bhurban on Sunday to thrash out an agreement on a coalition government.

“Tomorrow I am meeting Asif Zardari in Bhurban and it will be the final session of talks,” Mr Sharif told a group of reporters at the Frontier House in Islamabad before leaving for Murree on Saturday.

Mr Sharif said that his party stood by its previous stand of not joining the federal cabinet in the coalition government. He further said that a decision on accepting the office of the National Assembly speaker would be taken at the Sunday meeting.

Answering a question about the reinstatement of judges, Mr Sharif said his party would abide by its commitments.

Mr Sharif said a split mandate notwithstanding, the nation had given a verdict against President Pervez Musharraf. He accused the president of not accepting the verdict.

“The people have given their verdict and (Mr) Musharraf is reluctant to accept it and trying to create hurdles.”

Mr Sharif said the Election commission had completed the process by issuing the notification of winning candidates and now there was no justification for any delay in convening the first session of the National Assembly.

In reply to a question about government formation in Punjab, Mr Sharif said Shahbaz Sharif would be the chief minister of Punjab and the party would nominate any person as chief minister for an interim period during which Shahbaz Sharif would contest a by-election.

FAZL MEETS ASIF: Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman called on PPP co-chairman Asif Zardari to discuss options for cooperation at the centre as well as in the Balochistan Assembly. He was reported to have promised to support PPP’s efforts to forms governments at the centre and in the provinces.

Mr Zardari also met MNAs-elect from Larkana, Sukkur, Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas divisions to finalise the name of prime minister.

According to a handout issued by PPP’s media office, all would-be legislators reposed full confidence in Mr Zardari over the nomination.

APNS TEAM: A delegation of the All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) called on Mr Zardari here during the day. The 30-member delegation was led by its president, Hameed Haroon.

Talking to the delegation, Mr Zardari said his party was committed to a free media and would strive for protecting its freedom. The party welcomed a strong and vibrant press to act as a check on government, he added.

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