Sharif Pulls Out of Pakistani Government

Nawaz Sharif has announced that he is pulling cabinet ministers from his Pakistan Muslim League - N Party out of its coalition with the Pakistan's Peoples Party. The issue is the reinstatement of the judges sacked by President Musharraf last fall. Sharif wants the judges old powers restored while the PPP wants to curb their powers. Sharif has said the PML-N will support the PPP on an issue by issue basis. I can't say I'm completely surprised by this development. Notwithstanding the monumentous events that have occurred in Pakistan over the past year I wondered how long this coalition would last. It barely lasted three months. I wonder this because this gives Musharraf an opportunity to regain the upper hand. If so Pakistan is right back where it was before.