Sharif assures Pak PM of continued support to govt

Tue, May 13 06:54 PM

Islamabad, May 13 (PTI) PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif today assured Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani that his party would continue to support the PPP-led ruling coalition despite withdrawing its ministers from the cabinet. Sharif gave the assurance during a telephonic conversation with Gilani, who spoke to the PML-N chief after meeting the ministers who submitted their resignations.

A statement issued by the Prime Minister's House said: "Nawaz Sharif assured the Prime Minister of his party's continued support and cooperation to the government for the strengthening of democratic institutions in the country." Sharif also said "the decision of resignation from the cabinet was painful for him," the statement said.

The PML-N pulled out of the ruling coalition yesterday after the expiry of a second deadline for reinstating judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf during last year's emergency rule. Sharif has said his party will continue to give issue-based support to the PPP-led government.

The nine PML-N ministers submitted their resignations to the Prime Minister this afternoon but Gilani "politely refused" to accept them, said a separate statement from the Prime Minister's House. Gilani told the delegation of PML-N ministers led by Senior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan that a decision on whether to accept the resignations will be made after PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari returns to Pakistan from a foreign trip.

Khan told the Prime Minister that the PML-N "will continue to support the government in the national interest and to strengthen the cause of democracy". Gilani appreciated the PML-N's gesture "to remain part of the coalition for sake of democracy and to help solve the problems of the people," the statement said.

PTI.

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