July 26, 2008	Saturday	Rajab 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, July 25: Briefing senior leaders of his party on this week’s meeting of the heads of parties in the ruling coalition, Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) president Shahbaz Sharif said on Friday that he had categorically told the partners that his party would not make any compromise on reinstatement of the deposed judges and the supremacy of parliament.

“The PML-N strives for political, financial, internal and external stability of the country and its role in the ruling coalition is aimed at achieving the same objectives. But this has to be done without sacrificing our party’s principled stance on national issues,” Mr Shahbaz was quoted as telling his colleagues at the Punjab House.

The meeting was attended by PML-N chairman Raja Zafarul Haq, vice- president Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, information secretary Ahsan Iqbal, Saranjam Khan and Pir Sabir Shah.

According to a party spokesman, the participants were informed about the proceedings of the coalition meeting at which Mr Shahbaz urged the PPP to devise a mechanism for joint decision-making to build trust among the coalition partners.

Similarly, Mr Shahbaz informed the party leaders that he had proposed to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and other coalition partners that before taking any initiative on issues of national importance the PPP should consult the ruling alliance and issues of national importance should be presented in the National Assembly in due course for a debate and final verdict of the elected representatives of the people.

This was necessary to acquire support and to formulate policies of consensus. According to him, the proposal was accepted by the coalition partners.

Mr Shahbaz said the PML-N believed in restoration of “genuine democracy and rule of law” which was possible only by ensuring the supremacy of parliament and reinstatement of the deposed judges.

He said restoration of the judiciary was the key to resolving the national crisis.