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Pakistan judges decision delayed Zardari nominated to be president
(30 minutes later)
Pakistan's former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has agreed to let parliament debate how to reinstate judges sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan's biggest party, the PPP, has nominated its leader, Asif Zardari, to be the country's president.
Pervez Musharraf resigned from the post on Monday in the face of the threat of impeachment by his political enemies.
Mr Zardari's main coalition partner, Nawaz Sharif of the PML-N, is not in favour of Mr Zardari getting the job.
The two men are also deadlocked over how many of the judges sacked by Mr Musharraf during emergency rule last November should be reinstated.
Twenty-four hours
PPP spokeswoman Sherry Rehman told reporters in Islamabad that senior PPP members had come to a unanimous decision to nominate Mr Zardari.
"Mr Zardari thanked the Pakistan People's Party of which he is the co-chairman and said he will announce his decision within the next 24 hours," she said.
The PPP and the PML-N have been discussing ways to reduce the power of the presidency. But if Mr Zardari gets the job, it is not clear if such reforms will go ahead.
He took over as PPP leader after his wife, Benazir 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.
Mr Sharif prefers what he calls a consensus president.
Wednesday deadline
Earlier on Friday Mr Sharif agreed to let parliament hold a debate next week on how to reinstate the judges sacked by Mr Musharraf.
Nawaz Sharif on what he wants to see in Pakistan
He had threatened to pull out of the coalition government unless it was agreed on Friday that all the sacked judges be restored.He had threatened to pull out of the coalition government unless it was agreed on Friday that all the sacked judges be restored.
Parliament will debate the issue next week. Pakistan's biggest party, the PPP, opposes Mr Sharif on the issue. The PPP fears that 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 Ms Bhutto last year that paved the way for them to return to the country.
They fear it could result in PPP leader Asif Zardari facing prosecution. That would open up Mr Zardari to prosecution on long-standing corruption charges.
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.
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.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.
Nawaz Sharif on what he wants to see in Pakistan
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.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."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. Squabbling
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.
'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 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.
Pakistan's spiral of violence
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.
On Friday the Taleban said at least 16 of their fighters were killed in clashes with security forces in the north-western district of Hangu.
In the Bajaur tribal region near the Afghan border, reports said at least one person was killed and eight others were injured when army helicopters fired at a convoy. Locals said the vehicles were carrying civilians who were fleeing the fighting in the area.
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.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.