Lahore, Aug 25: In clear signs of rift widening between the PPP and PML-N after former president Pervez Musharraf’s removal from Pakistan’s political scene, the bigger coalition partner the PPP has said that it will move out of the PML-N-led Punjab government if the coalition collapses over the judges’ issue.

Stating this here last evening, PPP Punjab Senior Minister Raja Riaz said that the PPP would restore the judges “according to its own strategy”.

Meanwhile, members of the PML-Q’s forward bloc, who has expressed intention to merge with the PML-N in near future, have said that the PML-N will continue to rule the Punjab province even if the PPP pulled out of the provincial government.

Lahore Aug 24 : Responding to PML-N leader and former premier Nawaz Sharif’s repeated insistence that the PPP should fulfill its promise of restoring sacked judges, PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said that agreements with PML-N “are not holy like the holy Quran and the Hadith” and can be modified if circumstances change.

He said this in an interview with BBC Urdu on Saturday, reported the Daily Times.

Lahore, Aug 24 : For the first time since Separation in 1947, a Hindu woman has decided to swing the palna (cradle) at a Krishna Temple in Lahore today to mark Janamashtami, and swing an idol of Lord Krishna in it, a ritual practiced across the world on this festive occasion.

Islamabad, Aug 24 : Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) Information Secretary, Ahsan Iqbal, has said that verbal and written agreements have no importance in the politics of PPP’s Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

He expressed his party’s disappointment over remarks of Asif Zardari, saying if agreements, deals have no significance in politics then we will have to think on the politics of Muhammad Ali Jinnah also.

Talking to Geo News, the secretary information said PML-N had not sought any position for any of its candidate but demanded of judges’ re-instatement and scrapping of 

Peshawar, Aug 24: Seventy-eight people were killed and several others injured as fierce clashes continued in different parts of the Swat Valley today.

The security forces launched their offensive late night on the alleged headquarters of Taliban militants. They used artillery and gunship helicopters to hit positions of the militants.

ISPR spokesman in Swat said that clashes between security forces and Taliban militants resulted in killing of 45-50 militants including a Taliban commander and foreign fighters in Tehsil Kabbal of Swat.

Islamabad - Former premier Nawaz Sharif offered his backing Saturday to Asif Ali Zardari, the widower of assassinated leader Benazir Bhutto, in Pakistan's presidential race, provided that he abolishes the president's power to dissolve parliament.

On Friday, Bhutto's Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) unanimously put forward Zardari, who has headed the PPP since her assassination in December last year, for the post. The election has been set for September 6.