August 25, 2008	Monday	Sha'aban 22, 1429

ISLAMABAD, Aug 24: A resolution for reinstating the deposed judges is unlikely to be moved in the National Assembly on Monday because its draft could not be finalised on Sunday amid deepening differences between the PPP and the PML-N on the issues of judiciary and presidential election.

The drafting committee comprising Leader of the House in Senate Raza Rabbani, Information Minister Sherry Rehman and Law Minister Farooq H. Naek of the Pakistan People’s Party and Ahsan Iqbal and Ishaq Dar of the Pakistan Muslim League-N did not meet on Sunday after the PML-N boycotted the meeting over PPP’s refusal to give a timeframe for the restoration of the judiciary.

“The meeting of the drafting committee was scheduled to be held today but members from the PML-N have regretted to attend it as they have to take part in their CEC meeting being held in Lahore,” the information minister said.

The draft of the resolution could not be finalised and, therefore, it would not be tabled in the National Assembly on Monday, she said.

When asked if there was any possibility to reinstate the judges before the presidential election scheduled for Sept 6, she said: “We do not want to give any timeframe in this regard.”

Ms Rehman ruled out extending the date for presidential election as demanded by the PML-N. “I don’t think that the schedule will be changed now.”

PML-N information secretary Ahsan Iqbal said: “We think if there is no timeframe it will be counter-productive to attend the meeting.”

He said: “If the PPP gives an assurance that all deposed judges, including Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, will be reinstated by Tuesday we will attend the committee’s meeting on Monday; otherwise the PML-N will not be a part of the committee anymore,” he said.

Earlier, the PML-N had demanded that the judges should be reinstated by Wednesday but Mr Iqbal said they should be reinstated by Tuesday, before the last date for filing nomination papers for the presidential election.

“If the PPP cannot do so it should extend the last date of filing nomination papers by at least two days,” he demanded.

The information minister said that no meeting of the drafting committee was scheduled for Monday.

She said a meeting of the PPP parliamentary committee would be held to decide about several key issues. The PML-N leadership is also meeting on Monday to take a decision about the future of the ruling coalition.

The PML-N has also expressed reservations over the nomination by the PPP of Mr Zardari as its presidential candidate without the repeal of the 17th Amendment.

Meanwhile, Senator Babar Awan of the PPP taking part in a TV talk show accused the deposed chief justice of having demonstrated a bias in several cases.