Sharif's party quitting Pakistan's Cabinet
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan -- Ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has announced that his party is withdrawing from Pakistan's federal Cabinet but will not join the parliamentary opposition.
Sharif says ministers from his party will meet with Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday and hand in their resignations.
Sharif announced the move Monday after the failure of weekend talks with the party of Asif Ali Zardari over the reinstatement of judges axed by President Pervez Musharraf.
While the civilian government is likely to survive, Sharif's move raises doubts over its stability and is a setback to Pakistan's transition to democracy after eight years of military rule under Musharraf.
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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