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Crunch talks for Pakistan leaders Pakistan judges decision delayed
(about 7 hours later)
Senior politicians are due to meet in Pakistan to try to resolve disputes which threaten to break up the coalition government. Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to let parliament debate how to reinstate judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf.
Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said his party will pull out, unless judges sacked by ex-President Pervez Musharraf are immediately reinstated. He had threatened to pull out of the coalition government unless it was agreed on Friday that all the sacked judges be restored.
The other disagreement is over who should succeed Mr Musharraf, following his resignation on Monday. Parliament will debate the issue next week. Pakistan's biggest party, the PPP, opposes Mr Sharif on the issue.
The talks come a day after more than 60 people died in twin suicide attacks. They fear it could result in PPP leader Asif Zardari facing prosecution.
The party leaders failed to hammer out a deal when they met on Monday and Tuesday. If former Supreme Court judges, including ex-Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, are reinstated, they could overturn a controversial amnesty that Mr Musharraf granted Mr Zardari and his wife Benazir Bhutto last year that paved the way for them to return to the country.
Most members of the biggest party in the coalition, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), want to nominate as president Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of their late leader, Benazir Bhutto. She was assassinated in December last year. Wednesday
Mr Sharif pulled back from his threat to withdraw his PML-N party from the governing coalition after talks with other coalition parties in Islamabad.
The coalition parties will draw up a draft resolution over the weekend which will be introduced in parliament on Monday.
But Mr Sharif is still hoping the resolution will result in Mr Chaudhry and the other judges getting their jobs back.
"Wednesday should be the day for reinstatement of judges," he told journalists.
The other main disagreement within the coalition is over who should succeed Mr Musharraf, following his resignation on Monday.
Most members of the biggest party in the coalition, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), want to nominate Mr Zardari as president. He took over as PPP leader after Ms Bhutto was assassinated in December.
The president is chosen by the two chambers of the national parliament and the country's four provincial elections. The election will be held on 6 September.The president is chosen by the two chambers of the national parliament and the country's four provincial elections. The election will be held on 6 September.
'Consensus' president'Consensus' president
But Mr Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), prefers what he calls a consensus president.But Mr Sharif, who leads the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), prefers what he calls a consensus president.
Pakistan's spiral of violencePakistan's spiral of violence
The coalition was elected in February but analysts say it has failed to find solutions to Pakistan's economic crisis and to the militants in its north-western tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.The coalition was elected in February but analysts say it has failed to find solutions to Pakistan's economic crisis and to the militants in its north-western tribal regions bordering Afghanistan.
The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says the politicians' squabbling is hindering any possible plan for tackling militant violence.The BBC's Charles Haviland in Islamabad says the politicians' squabbling is hindering any possible plan for tackling militant violence.
The Pakistani Taleban claimed responsibility for Thursday's suicide bombings on an ordnance factory in the town of Wah, near the capital Islamabad. It was the deadliest attack on a military site in Pakistan's history.The Pakistani Taleban claimed responsibility for Thursday's suicide bombings on an ordnance factory in the town of Wah, near the capital Islamabad. It was the deadliest attack on a military site in Pakistan's history.
The militant group promised more attacks in Pakistan's major urban conurbations unless the army withdrew from the tribal areas.The militant group promised more attacks in Pakistan's major urban conurbations unless the army withdrew from the tribal areas.
On Tuesday, 32 people were killed in a suicide attack on a hospital in the northern town of Dera Ismail Khan.On Tuesday, 32 people were killed in a suicide attack on a hospital in the northern town of Dera Ismail Khan.
Mr Musharraf, a key ally of President Bush's "war on terror", stepped down this week after nine years in power to avoid being impeached. Mr Musharraf, a key ally of President George Bush's "war on terror", stepped down this week after nine years in power to avoid being impeached.
He sacked about 60 Supreme Court judges during a state of emergency in November to prevent them from overturning his re-election as president.He sacked about 60 Supreme Court judges during a state of emergency in November to prevent them from overturning his re-election as president.
Analysts say that although the PPP and PML-N worked together to hound Mr Musharraf from office, there is a history of intense rivalry and mistrust between the two main parties.Analysts say that although the PPP and PML-N worked together to hound Mr Musharraf from office, there is a history of intense rivalry and mistrust between the two main parties.
The parties differ over the future of Mr Musharraf, who has been replaced by a caretaker president, the speaker of the Senate.The parties differ over the future of Mr Musharraf, who has been replaced by a caretaker president, the speaker of the Senate.
Mr Zardari's party has said it believes Mr Musharraf may have immunity from prosecution.Mr Zardari's party has said it believes Mr Musharraf may have immunity from prosecution.
But Mr Sharif's party argues he should stand trial for, among other things, abrogating the constitution.But Mr Sharif's party argues he should stand trial for, among other things, abrogating the constitution.