Zardari, Sharif meet to hammer out the future

PAKISTAN'S SEARCH FOR COMMON GROUND

Opposition leaders Asif Ali Zardari and Nawaz Sharif were confronted by key differences over approach to judiciary and fate of President Pervez Musharraf as they took their first big step to cobble a potential coalition government in Pakistan.

Hours before the much-talked-about meeting at Zardari House in the heart of Islamabad, Sharif stepped up pressure on Zardari to accede to the PML(N's) demand for reinstatement of the deposed judges, joining hundreds of protesting lawyers and vowing to restore deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhamma Chaudhry to the Supreme Court.

Sharif drove to Judges Colony and joined the lawyers who were trying to march to Chaudhry's residence, where the deposed chief justice is under house arrest, and pledged to work for reinstating all the judges who were sacked during last year's emergency.

PML(N) sources said Sharif made this and the rolling back of other actions by Musharraf during the emergency rule as pre-conditions for backing any government formed by the Pakistan People's Party.

Zardari, who faces the possibility of a law giving him amnesty against graft charges being scrapped if the deposed judges are reinstated, has so far only committed himself to ensuring the independence and autonomy of the judiciary.

Zardari and Bhutto returned to Pakistan after Musharraf issued the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) that led to the withdrawal of graft charges against them. Several petitions challenging the validity of the NRO are pending in the Supreme Court.

The News quoted a source close to the president as saying that Musharraf had "warned" the PPP that it had no choice but to cooperate with him as otherwise the NRO might be scrapped and "Zardari could be arrested".

Prior to the meeting with Zardari, Sharif was elected leader of the PML(N's) parliamentary party even though he had not contested the polls. He was also asked by the PML(N's) central working committee to hold talks on government formation.

In the morning, Zardari met Pashtun leader Asfandyar Wali Khan, whose Awami National Party has emerged a key player by winning 10 National Assembly seats in the North West Frontier Province.

Reports have suggested that Musharraf's camp is pressuring the PPP not to join hands with the PML(N) to form a coalition.

Musharraf's aides have reportedly suggested to Zardari that he should form an alliance with the ANP, the Muttahida Qaumi Movement and independents.