Nawaz Sharif, a former Pakistani prime minister, has announced that ministers from his political party will resign over the delayed reinstatement of judges sacked last year.

 

Speaking at a news conference on Monday, Sharif said: "Our ministers will submit their resignations to the prime minister tomorrow."

However he said his party would not take any decision that would strengthen the "dictatorship", referring to Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president.

 

Sharif's party, the PML-N, pledged to continue supporting the six-week old coalition from outside the government, the prime minister's office said.

It said: "Senior Federal Minister for Food, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan called on Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani this morning and assured him that PML-N members would continue to support the coalition government, regardless of the decision taken by the party leadership today."

 

Government coalition partners Gilani and Sharif have been deadlocked over the restoration of judges dismissed by Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan's president, in November under emergency rule.