Lahore: The ruling coalition in Pakistan was today back in crisis with PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif cutting short his deadline for restoration of sacked judges and not committing his party's backing for PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari as President.

A day after relenting and extending the deadline for reinstating the judges deposed by former President Pervez Musharraf till Wednesday, Sharif said the restoration process should be completed by Monday.

"It takes 10 minutes to pass the resolution (for reinstating the judges). Then on Monday evening an executive order can be issued and the judges can be restored by Monday night this is our roadmap," he told reporters here after a meeting with PPP leaders who sought his support for Zardari's possible candidature in the September 6 presidential polls.

The former premier did not give the PPP leaders a clear commitment on supporting Zardari and instead asked them to inform him by tonight if their party would act to restore the judges by Monday through a parliamentary resolution. He said his party would announce its strategy after the PPP response.

The PPP's Central Executive Committee yesterday nominated Zardari as the party's candidate for the presidential polls, necessitated by the resignation of Musharraf earlier this week. Zardari has sought time from the party for making his final decision in the matter.

Though Sharif had said yesterday that he was willing to wait till Wednesday for the restoration of the deposed judges, he said this afternoon that the process should be completed by Monday in view of the announcement of the schedule for the presidential poll and the PPP s decision to nominate Zardari.
Source : PTI