Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, PakistanPakistan's governing coalition is crumbling just a week after it muscled pro-U.S. President Pervez Musharraf from office. The squabbling is reviving memories of the divisive politics of the '90s and distracting attention from the fight against Islamic militants. Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is threatening to withdraw his Pakistan Muslim League from a government led by the rival Pakistan Peoples Party of slain leader Benazir Bhutto. Sharif has vowed to leave the coalition Monday unless the Peoples Party agrees to reinstate dozens of judges Musharraf removed last year. Public anger over Musharraf's high-handed treatment of the judiciary helped Sharif's Muslim League and the Peoples Party rout a pro-Musharraf party in February elections and take control of parliament. Earlier this month, the coalition united to begin impeachment proceedings against Musharraf, who resigned last Monday to avoid the humiliation of being cast from office. But once their common nemesis was gone, the two parties reverted to form and began fighting over power.

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