PML-N to rejoin Pakistan government

The Pakistan People's Party-led government received a shot in the arm on Friday when its key ally the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz announced its decision to rejoin it, nearly three months after pulling out of the cabinet over delay in reinstatement of deposed judges.

Former Prime minister Nawaz Sharif-led PML-N said four of its leaders--Ahsan Iqbal, Sardar Mahtab Abbasi, Rana Tanveer Hussain and Khawaja Saad Rafique--would rejoin the PPP-led cabinet.

The PML-N statement came a day after the two parties agreed to moving an impeachment motion against President Pervez Musharraf and restoring all deposed judges.

The four PML-N leaders were among the nine ministers the party had withdrawn from the cabinet on May 11 after the government failed to meet two deadlines to reinstate the judges sacked by Musharraf during the emergency rule last year.

Party leaders said the four leaders were rejoining the cabinet as a token gesture and the remaining PML-N ministers would return after the deposed judges were restored to their former positions.