Turning down the olive branch extended by the ruling PPP, Pakistan's main opposition PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday ruled out his party rejoining the government, but made it clear that he did not want to engage in any sort of confrontation.
Announcing his decision after a meeting of the PML-N parliamentarians and central working committee, Sharif said his party will fully respect the PPP's mandate and continue cooperating with the government without joining it.
"We cannot afford any sort of confrontation and we have to jointly work for strengthening the country," Sharif told a news conference.
"I assure the Prime Minister and the PPP government that the PML-N has no intention of creating problems for them."
The PML-N walked out of the ruling coalition in August last year after accusing PPP chief and President Asif Ali Zardari of reneging on several promises, including a pledge to reinstate the judges sacked during the 2007 emergency by former military ruler Pervez Musharraf.
The judges were restored last month after Sharif backed a countrywide protest by lawyers to press the government on the issue.
Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani subsequently launched an effort to improve relations with the PML-N and asked it to rejoin the government.
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