Pakistan's Zardari rejects ally's resignations

Islamabad: The head of Pakistan's ruling coalition has refused to accept the resignations of ministers from the party of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Nine ministers from Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League quit the cabinet on Tuesday after their leaders failed to reach a deal on the restoration of judges sacked in November.

Coalition leader Asif Ali Zardari has told Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani not to accept the resignations and that he would persuade Sharif to withdraw them.

"Zardari said that he was committed to promoting national reconciliation and asked the prime minister not to accept resignations tendered by the ministers," the prime minister's office said in a statement issued late on Thursday.

Zardari has said he also wants to reinstate the judges but wants to tie it to a constitutional package of political and judicial reforms.