[JURIST] Pakistan People's Party (PPP) [party website] spokesman Farhatullah Babar dismissed suggestions Saturday that the party was wavering on its commitment to restore judges fired by President Pervez Musharraf [official profile; JURIST news archive]. Influential Pakistan newspaper The News [media website] reported Saturday that "the issue of restoration of the deposed judges is already causing cracks and friction not only in the grand political coalition but within the ranks of the PPP as well." Barber said the report did not present an accurate depiction of events and reiterated the party's pledge to restore judges [JURIST report]. AP has more.

The coalition government, formed by the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League [party website], has vowed to establish a fully independent judiciary and work together to reinstate judges [JURIST reports] ousted by Musharraf's declaration of emergency rule [proclamation, PDF; JURIST report]. Pakistani Attorney General Malik Qayyum has said reinstating the judges would require a constitutional amendment [JURIST report] with a two-thirds majority vote.