Special report: Pakistani Situation

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif (L) and Asif Ali Zardari (R), widower of the slain opposition leader, Benazir Bhutto, leader of the Pakistan People's Party, speak during a joint news conference in Bhurban near Islamabad March 9, 2008.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ISLAMABAD, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Pakistan's political stability is the top priority and a war between the presidency and the newly-elected parliament would be catastrophic, said Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf in an interview with Washington Times published on Monday.

    "I'm looking forward to working with this government for the full five years," Musharraf told Washington Times in Rawalpindi city on Wednesday.

    Musharraf scoffed at speculation in the Pakistani press that he would attempt to derail the results of Feb. 18 elections by using his constitutional powers to dismiss parliament, or not call parliament into session.

    "You think someone who has spent his entire adult life defending Pakistan and the past eight years trying to put democracy back on track wants to see the government fail and the country return to political anarchy? " he said, adding "No. I'm committed to making this work."

    Musharraf has to seek political reconciliation for political stability after Pakistan's two major parties, Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), signed a joint declaration on Sunday on the formation of new government.

    The two parties, which emerged as the two largest parliamentary parties in the Feb. 18 elections, agreed on reinstating the deposed judges sacked by Musharraf last November through a parliamentary resolution within 30 days of the formation of the federal government.

News Analysis: Agreement between Pakistan's major parties casts shadow on premiership

    ISLAMABAD, March 10 (Xinhua) -- Despite an agreement between Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) on the formation of Pakistan's new government on Sunday, the Pakistani people have become more doubtful as to who will become their new Prime Minister (PM).

    After a three-hour meeting in Murree city, administered by the garrison city of Rawalpindi, the PPP and PML-N agreed to form a coalition government in the center and Punjab province. They also said that all allied parties would fully support the PM candidate fielded by the PPP. Full story

Pakistan's major parties agree on coalition gov't

    ISLAMABAD, March 9 (Xinhua) -- Pakistani's two leading political leaders said Sunday that they had agreed to form a coalition government with the prime minister from the Pakistan People's Party (PPP).

    "We undertake to form a coalition together for Pakistan, as the people of Pakistan had given mandate to the democratic forces on February 18," said Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) at the news conference after his meeting with PPPCo-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari at the scenic town of Murree in eastern Pakistan. Full story