Trouble in Pakistan

One of the main parties in Pakistan has announced it is pulling out of the government, just three months after landmark general elections.

Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif says his PML-N is quitting because of differences over the reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.

Mr Sharif wants the judges, who became a focus of opposition to Mr Musharraf, to get all their old powers back.

But the biggest party, the PPP, wants limitations on their powers.

Both sides were eager to avoid the appearance of a major rift, but analysts called the pull-out a huge set-back that could lead to growing instability.

The BBC's Barbara Plett in Islamabad says further cracks in the alliance may give a lease of life to pro-Musharraf parties which were defeated in recent elections.

SockPuppet said:
Oh great. A nuclear-armed state, with areas where the government has to negotiate with tribal chiefs to achieve even the illusion of compliance with national policy, and with a history of covertly selling nuclear weapons technology. And about to take a page from the Italian book on government stability. Wonderful.

emotedcreations said:

Well, like I said. They are only removing their support on an issue-by-issue basis. My impression is that it's just to put pressure on getting the judges re-instated. I know next to nothing about Italian politics, so maybe it's worse than it sounds.