July 03, 2008	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 28, 1429

LAHORE, July 2: The Pakistan Muslim League-N has said its alliance with the Pakistan People’s Party can continue only if the government honours its commitment to impeach President Pervez Musharraf and reinstate the deposed judges.

“The future of the coalition is directly linked with the fulfilment of commitments about the impeachment of the president and reinstatement of the deposed judges,” PML-N spokesman Siddiqul Farooq said on Wednesday, indicating that the alliance could fall apart if the pledges were not honoured.

When asked how long would his party wait for the PPP to take the steps, he said: “Perhaps the nation will not give us much time.” He said both the jobs could be done during the current month.

When it was pointed out that the process of impeachment would imply acceptance of the Gen (retd) Musharraf as legitimate president, Mr Farooq said the coalition was under obligation to replace the ‘de facto’ with a ‘de jure’ head of state.

He said there were numerous other contradictions in the political history of the country because of periodic military interventions.

He said PML-N’s decision to quit the federal cabinet because of the government’s failure to reinstate the judges and to continue supporting the PPP to prevent the collapse of the coalition was based on principles.

He said his party wanted the existing set-up to complete its term and was giving more time to the PPP to deliver on its commitments.

Replying to a question, the PML-N spokesman said his party had reservations over various provisions of the constitutional package prepared by Law Minister Farooq Naek.

He pointed out that the Leader of the House in the Senate, Raza Rabbani, had come up with his own recommendations for the package.

The PML-N leader expressed the hope that the government would introduce the package in the National Assembly this month.