Pakistan-Judges
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani Tuesday refused to accept resignations of ministers belonging to one of the main parties in Pakistan.

Former PM Nawaz Sharif announced yesterday to pull his PML-N ministers out of the government because of differences over the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Musharraf.

"The Ministers of the Federal Cabinet belonging to the PML (N) submitted their resignations to Gilani here at the Prime Minister's House this afternoon," a statement from the PM office said.

President Musharraf sacked about 60 judges - some sitting in the Supreme Court - in November 2007, after declaring a state of emergency.

The Supreme Court had been due to rule on whether his re-election was legal.

They had also been due to rule on a controversial amnesty covering Zardari and his wife Benazir Bhutto, who was later assassinated.

"The prime minister politely refused to accept the resignations and said that the decision to accept or otherwise will be decided after the arrival of Co-Chairman of PPP Mr. Asif Ali Zardari in Pakistan," it said.

Sharif wants around 60 top judges, who became a focus of opposition to President Pervez Musharraf, to get all their old powers back. But the biggest party, the PPP, wants limitations on their powers.

Leader of the PML (N) Ministers' delegation Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan apprised the Prime Minister that PML(N) will continue to support the government in the national interest and to strengthen the cause of democracy, the statement said.

The Prime Minister appreciated the gesture of PML (N) to remain part of coalition for sake of democracy, and to help solve the problems of the people.