Opposition leaders agree to form coalition if they win election скачать в хорошем качестве

Opposition leaders agree to form coalition if they win election

(13 Feb 2008) 1. Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People's Party (PPP) and widower of Benazir Bhutto, being greeted by leader of Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), Nawaz Sharif, at his home 2. Zardari and Sharif walking in to news conference 3. Wide of news conference 4. Cutaway of assembled media 5. Cameras and cameramen at news conference 6. SOUNDBITE: (Urdu) Asif Ali Zardari, PPP co-chairman: "God willing with a PPP majority we will make a decision to take all friends with us. At the moment I see that Pakistan is in danger and our party also sees this danger and other problems. If we do not take the nation with us it'll be very hard to save Pakistan. We want the whole nation to stand together. For this we need Nawaz Sharif's full support." 7. Cutaway of media 8. Wide of news conference STORYLINE: Leaders of Pakistan's two main opposition parties said on Tuesday they would try to form a coalition government if they win a majority of the seats in next week's parliamentary elections. Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N) and Benazir Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP) used to be bitter rivals but recently agreed to set aside their past differences, vowing to restore democracy to Pakistan. Bhutto's widowed husband, Asif Ali Zardari, who now co-chairs the PPP, met Sharif in Lahore on Tuesday, one day after a survey by a US government-funded organisation predicted the opposition would score a landslide victory in the February 18 balloting. After the meeting Zardari told reporters the PPP would invite the PML-N, as well as "other democratic forces," to join a governing coalition even if the PPP wins enough seats in parliament to rule on its own. "God willing with a PPP majority we will make a decision to take all friends with us," Zardari told reporters on Tuesday. Zardari said Pakistan was "in danger" and the only way to "save" the country would be for the whole nation to stand together. "For this we need Nawaz Sharif's full support," he said. The survey released on Monday by the US government-funded International Republican Institute showed overwhelming support for the opposition and predicted Pakistan's ruling party would fare poorly. The survey said half the Pakistanis polled planned to vote for the party of the assassinated former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and 22 percent backed the party headed by Sharif - another ex-premier of Pakistan. Only 14 percent of those surveyed favoured the pro-Musharraf party, the survey said. The elections are aimed ushering in a new democratic era after years of military rule under Musharraf, who gave up his dual post as military commander two months ago to govern as a civilian. Musharraf seized power in a 1999 coup against Sharif and was re-elected by the former parliament to another five-year term in October. But he needs a strong majority in the new legislature to block any move to impeach him. Opposition to Musharraf grew after his failed attempt last year to oust the Supreme Court's chief justice, and the anger intensified when he imposed temporary emergency rule in November and removed Supreme Court judges seen as a challenge to his continued rule. The campaign is taking place against a backdrop of fear over militant violence as well as widespread cynicism over prospects for improvements in Pakistani life. Security fears have prompted many candidates to limit campaigning since Bhutto was assassinated by a suicide bombing and gun attack after a political rally December 27. The military announced that tens of thousands of soldiers have been placed on alert to bolster security during the election. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter:   / ap_archive   Facebook:   / aparchives   ​​ Instagram:   / apnews   You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...