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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Pakistan parties agree coalition | Pakistan parties agree coalition |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Pakistan's two main opposition parties have agreed to form a coalition government after they won the most seats in Monday's general election. | Pakistan's two main opposition parties have agreed to form a coalition government after they won the most seats in Monday's general election. |
| Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said he had agreed "a common agenda" with the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. | Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, said he had agreed "a common agenda" with the party of assassinated opposition leader Benazir Bhutto. |
| He had been in talks with Ms Bhutto's husband, Asif Zardari, the new leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP). | |
| Such a government could put renewed pressure on President Pervez Musharraf. | Such a government could put renewed pressure on President Pervez Musharraf. |
| 'Lot of ground' | 'Lot of ground' |
| "We will work together to form the government in the centre and in the provinces," Mr Sharif, head of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), said at a joint news conference with Mr Zardari. | |
| He said the two parties had agreed that the country's chief justice, sacked by President Musharraf in November, should be immediately reinstated. | He said the two parties had agreed that the country's chief justice, sacked by President Musharraf in November, should be immediately reinstated. |
| Mr Zardari said there was "a lot of ground to cover" between the two parties, but "in principle, we have agreed to stay together". | Mr Zardari said there was "a lot of ground to cover" between the two parties, but "in principle, we have agreed to stay together". |
| Doubts remain about who will emerge as a possible prime minister. | Doubts remain about who will emerge as a possible prime minister. |
| The party backing President Musharraf, the PML-Q, and its coalition partners have now lost their majority in parliament and Mr Zardari said none of them would be invited into the new governing coalition. | |
| If Mr Zardari's and Mr Sharif's parties can form a grouping with a two-thirds majority, they could call for Mr Musharraf to be impeached. |