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Political rivals in Pakistan remove differences

IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency

Islamabad, March 23, IRNA - Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and opposition leader Nawaz Sharif Sunday removed political differences and vowed to work together to strengthen democratic system.

The government and Sharif had been involved till last week in a controversy over the issue of judges, sacked by former President Pervez Musharraf during emergency rule in 2007.

Sharif led a long-march to press for the restoration of the judges and the government, under tremendous pressure, announced restoration of the deposed Chief Justice and other judges.

Muslim League (N) party of Sharif quit cabinet late last year after President Asif Zardari refused to reinstate judges despite his two times written agreement with Sharif.

“It was the demand of the nation that those forces which defeated dictatorship in the general elections should work together,” Prime Minister Gilani told reporters after meeting with Nawaz Sharif.

He urged all the political forces to jointly work to steer the country out of the current challenges, saying he had brought message of Reconciliation from the President and the Federal Government to Sharif.

Nawaz Sharif reciprocating the Prime Minister welcomed his efforts of the reconciliation and described the decision of the restoration of the Judges as the victory of the Justice which reflects the sentiments of the whole nation.

He said his party is ready to work together with all the democratic forces in the country for the strengthening of the institutions and the supremacy of the constitution and the rule of law.

Analysts say that the government and the opposition had been under tremendous foreign pressure also from abroad to resolve problems through peaceful means as they were worried over the growing political crisis in Pakistan.