Islamabad - Pakistan's feeble governing alliance collapsed Monday when the second-largest party pulled out due to irreconcilable differences over the reinstatement of judges sacked by former president Pervez Musharraf. "With utter disappointment, with no signs of hope, I have to say with great sorrow that Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz (PML-N) is pulling out of the coalition," party chief and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said.
The PML-N will field its own presidential candidate, the former chief justice Saeeduz Zaman Siddiqui, to run against Asif Ali Zardari, the head of leading Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP).
The fragile alliance was formed after the PPP of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto and Sharif's PML-N trounced the political allies of Musharraf in the February 18 general elections.
But opposition to Musharraf was the only binding force which kept the coalition intact, until the former military strongman resigned earlier this month under threat of impeachment on treasonable charges.
Sharif's insistence on immediate restoration of more than 60 judges, including deposed Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, broke the five-month political marriage, as Zardari was reluctant to restore Chaudhry to his post.
Zardari is the widower of Bhutto, who was assassinated December 27 as she campaigned for a third term as premier.
