Pakistan coalition to talk more on judges

By Zeeshan Haider

ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Leaders of Pakistan's ruling coalition held inconclusive talks on Monday to finalise strategy for the restoration of judges dismissed by President Pervez Musharraf when he imposed emergency rule last year.

The reinstatement of the judges, including the former Supreme court chief justice, would be a major challenge to Musharraf, a staunch U.S. ally who has been isolated since his allies were defeated in February parliamentary elections.

The restoration of the judges seen as hostile to Musharraf's manoeuvres to stay in power was the main element of a coalition pact between the Pakistan People's Party of assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the party of another former prime minister, Nawaz Sharif.

Asif Ali Zardari, Bhutto's widower and political successor, agreed to restore about 60 judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, through a parliamentary resolution within 30 days of the formation of their coalition. That deadline will pass by the end of April.

If restored, some of the judges are expected to take up challenges to Musharraf's October re-election by outgoing assembly members, which his critics say was unconstitutional.

Zardari and Sharif met for more than three hours and discussed a draft resolution to be put to the National Assembly, parliament's lower house, now dominated by Musharraf's opponents, said Siddiqul Farooq, a spokesman for Sharif's party.

But they had yet to reach a final agreement, he said.

"The talks were inconclusive and will be resumed tomorrow," Farooq told reporters.