Pak parties should address differences: US

US has refused to be drawn into latest uncertainty in Pak following Sharif's decision to pull out from PPP-led coalition.

The US has refused to be drawn into the latest uncertainty in Pakistan following Nawaz Sharif8217;s decision to pull out PML-N ministers from the government and said political parties in the country will have to address the issues pertaining to coalition politics.

8220;We neither want to nor can answer these questions for the Pakistani political leaders and their political system. They are going to have to address it,8221; State Department Spokesman Sean McCormack said reacting to Nawaz Sharif8217;s decision to pull out PML-N ministers from the government.

He said the US was convinced that the government in Islamabad will continue to function.

8220;My understanding is that the government will continue to function at this point,8221; he said.

Deepening the rift with main coalition partner PPP and raising the spectre of fresh political uncertainty in Pakistan, PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday announced that his party will pull out of the Cabinet following the deadlock over reinstatement of judges sacked by President Pervez Musharraf.

Sharif, a former prime minister and PML-N leader, however said the party would still support the six-week-old coalition government on an 8216;issue by issue basis8217; despite clear disagreement with PPP over restoration of the 60 judges deposed by President Pervez Musharraf.

8220;Look, how the Pakistanis arrange themselves politically, what who8217;s in the coalition, who8217;s not, what the platform is, questions about judges, these are all things for the Pakistanis to answer,8221; McCormack said.

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8220;I will leave it to the parties to describe exactly what the government can do and can8217;t do with the support of8230; Mr Sharif8217;s party,8221; he said.

McCormack said the US would continue to work with Islamabad on issues that are of mutual concern.

8220;We are convinced that we are able to work with this government on fighting terror, working with them to help build a different kind of and a better kind of Pakistan with greater freedoms and greater prosperity.

8220;So we8217;re going to continue working with them. How they arrange themselves politically, the platform of the government, those are going to be decisions for the Pakistani Government to make,8221; the senior State Department official maintained.

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Sharif, 58, who was deposed as premier in a military coup by Musharraf in 1999, said his party would 8216;nor rest8217; till the judges were restored and Musharraf removed from his post.

Sharif8217;s party has nine ministers in the 24-member Cabinet, which was sworn in on March 31.

PML-N8217;s nine ministers would meet Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani on Tuesday and hand in their resignations, Sharif told newsmen after a marathon meeting of party leaders in Islamabad on Monday.