Lahore, May 13 (ANI): Following PML-N's decision to walk out of the Pakistan coalition government last evening, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari has asked Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani not to accept the resignations of PML-N ministers, as he would try to resume talks with the second largest coalition partner.
Zardari said his differences with PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif were not serious and that he would not field his party candidate against Sharif in the June 26 by-polls which Sharif would be contesting, the Daily Times quoted a TV report as saying.
According to the report, Zardari said he would call a party meeting after his return from London and that he would persuade the PML-N to resume talks.
He also said that the PPP would not bring new ministers in place of the resigning PML-N ministers, and that he would wait for them to return to the cabinet. But, the channel said he would announce a new Finance minister, in place of PML-N's Ishaq Dar, on Tuesday because of the looming budget.
About the possibilities of forming a coalition government in the Punjab province, the PPP Co-Chairman said that his party would not form a coalition government with the PML-Q and that the PML-N government in Punjab may destabilise without the PPP's support.
He also said that President Pervez Musharraf would be impeached when the coalition would have two-thirds majority in the parliament.
PML-N ministers submit resignations to PM
Islamabad, May 13 (ANI): All the nine federal ministers of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on Tuesday handed over their resignations to Prime Minister Yousuf Reza Gillani over the restoration of deposed judges issue.
The names of the PML-N ministers are Khwaja Saad Rafique, Ishaq Dar, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Rana Tanveer Hussain, Tehmina Daulatana, Khwaja Asif, Chaudhry Nisar, Ahsan Iqbal and Sardar Mehtab Khan. Most of them had given up their official security and other protocol arrangements on Monday.
Earlier on Monday, PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has said that his party has decided to quit the federal cabinet after failure of talks for restoration of the deposed judges.
According to sources, before calling on the PM, the PML-N ministers held a meeting in parliament lodges to finalise their strategy and also consulted party chief Sharif over phone.
Sharif said though the PML-N has decided to withdraw its ministers but his party would continue to give issue-based support to the Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP)-led government.
The sources said the ministers told Gilani that their participation in the cabinet was strictly linked to the reinstatement of the judges within 30 days of the government being formed.
After this initial deadline expired on April 30, an extension was made till May 12. After this second deadline also expired, the PML-N ministers had no option but to tender their resignations.
Meanwhile, PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has convened a meeting of his party's parliamentarians and legislators on Wednesday to take stock of the political situation after the PML-N's decision to withdraw from the ruling coalition. (ANI)
