Pak politics boils over: Nawaz barred from polls, brother ousted

Protests erupted across Pakistan today after the Supreme Court barred opposition PML-N chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from contesting polls and declared the election of his brother Shahbaz, chief minister of Punjab province, as null and void, effectively dismissing him and setting the stage for renewed political confrontation in a country grappling with rising militancy.

Describing the verdict as a “diktat”, Sharif accused President Asif Ali Zardari of hatching a conspiracy against him and challenged him to hold a referendum on the judgment. Within hours of the ruling, Zardari imposed Governor’s rule in Punjab, the country’s most populous province, for a period of two months.

Supporters of the Sharifs took to the streets in hundreds, grappling with police and tearing down Zardari banners and posters.

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Judges must return today or I go: Sharif

Pakistan’s fledgling coalition government was plunged into crisis today after former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif threatened to pull out unless judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf were not reinstated by tomorrow.

Sharif, who heads the PML(N), the second largest constituent of the coalition, said, “If the judges are not restored we will perhaps be forced to sit in the opposition. We will not try to bring the government down. But, of course, then we have no choice but sit in the opposition.”

The PML(N)’s coalition with Asif Ali Zardari’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) “came into being on the basis that democracy would be strengthened and judges restored”, Sharif said.

“And, of course, we would restore the Constitution as it stood before Musharraf overthrew an elected government,” he added.

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Fingers crossed, Zardari, Sharif join hands

In a set back to President Pervez Musharraf who was hoping to wean away the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) from former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's PML-N, the two victorious Opposition parties tonight announced that they would form a coalition government of "national consensus" in Pakistan.They have left open a decision on who should be the next Prime Minister.

"We have agreed on a common agenda. We will work together to form a government together at the Centre and in the provinces," Sharif told a joint news conference in Islamabad with Asif Ali Zardari, husband of assassinated PPP leader and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto.

The announcement of the two parties formally joining hands they together account for 153 seats in a House of 272 - was made after two hours of negotiations between Zardari and Sharif during which they ironed out differences on some key issues.

"We will ensure that you complete a full five year term," said Sharif looking at Zardari who in turn said there were a "lot of grounds to cover" but "Inshallah (God willing) we will be meeting off and on. In principle we have agreed to stay together."

"We are trying to form a national consensus government," said Zardari.

The coming together of Zardari and Sharif may spell trouble for

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