Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif Saddened by Woolmer’s Death 
By Raza Mumtaz 'Pakistan Times' Executive Editor/UK Bureau Chief

LONDON (UK): Pakistan's ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Monday expressed his deep sorrow over the death of Pakistan Cricket team coach Bob Woolmer.

In a statement issued here, he said he was deeply saddened by the news of Woolmer’s death adding that it could have resulted from stress after the Pakistan team’s ignominious loss to Ireland in the ongoing World Cup.

Nawaz Sharif, a keen cricketer himself, considered Woolmer to be an excellent cricket coach and a thorough professional whose involvement and commitment in the betterment of Pakistan cricket seems to have been deep as the defeat against Ireland may have been too much for him to bear.

“The late Woolmer will always occupy a place of honour in Pakistan and be remembered as a friend of the country,” said the PML-N leader.

The London MPC

Meanwhile, an update report says that the Multi Parties Conference (MPC), which was scheduled for later this month, has been postponed by the Pakistan’s ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

The step, as partly reported by ‘Pakistan Times’ [Daily E-newspaper] in its edition of Monday, March 19, 2007 has been taken in view of ongoing judicial crisis and the anticipated new political alignments.

Earlier, Raja Zafarul Haq, chairman of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) told that Nawaz Sharif would decide whether or not to delay the PML-N’s All Parties’ Conference (APC) in London.

A press release from PML-N secretariat informs that Nawaz Shairf has decided to postpone the APC “in view of the ongoing judicial crisis in the country”.

Sources said that Mian Nawaz Sharif has received some strong signals from PPP quarters that the ex-Premier Ms Benazir Bhutto may be available for the APC if it is delayed for some time.

Sources said that Ms Bhutto, who is currently in USA holding extensive talks with US authorities has privately told some of her aides that what she phrased as “the constitutional crisis warrant all political parties to gather on a common platform for a single point agenda and that is to protect honour, supremacy and dignity of Supreme Court” .

“This one point agenda can be expanded up to supremacy of law, constitution and restoration of democracy and freedom of expression”, Ms Benazir Bhutto is quoted by media as saying.

PML-N sources say that Mian Nawaz Sharif has delayed the APC after detailed consultations with all political parties including PPP.

To recap, the Federal Minister for Railways has said on record last week that judicial crisis is being instigated by those who are sitting abroad and want to enhance their barging power.

It is believed that Ms Bhutto is trying to convince senior US officials that change of guards in Islamabad has now become essential and perhaps inevitable.●