Pakistan coalition collapses

Pakistan has been thrown into further political turmoil as its ruling coalition collapsed in acrimony yesterday. The country's hopes for political stability following the resignation last week of President Pervez Musharraf faltered after one of the leading members of the alliance stormed out.

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N said it was joining the opposition, blaming its coalition partner, the Pakistan People's Party, after dispute over the reinstatement of judges fired by Musharraf and over who should succeed him as president.

"We therefore feel that these repeated defaults and violations have forced us to withdraw our support from the ruling coalition and sit on the opposition benches," Sharif told a news conference.