Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People�s Party (PPP) and widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (C) flanked by party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi (L) and US assistant secretary of State Richard Boucher (R) listen a question during a joint press briefing in Islamabad on March 28, 2008. Boucher meet 28 March Pakistani politician to discussed ongoing situation. Political observers say the US visit was designed to woo the new government and smooth its relations with Musharraf amid fears that instability in the nuclear-armed nation will hurt efforts to tackle Islamic militancy.
Asif Ali Zardari, co-chairman of Pakistan People�s Party (PPP) and widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (C) flanked by party leader Shah Mahmood Qureshi (2L) and US assistant secretary of State Richard Boucher (2R) listen a question during a joint press briefing in Islamabad on March 28, 2008. Boucher meet 28 March Pakistani politician to discussed ongoing situation. Political observers say the US visit was designed to woo the new government and smooth its relations with Musharraf amid fears that instability in the nuclear-armed nation will hurt efforts to tackle Islamic militancy.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari (C), chairman of the Pakistan People's Party and son of assassinated former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, arrives at Parliament building in Islamabad March 24, 2008. Pakistan's National Assembly elected as prime minister on Monday Yousaf Raza Gilani, a top official in assassinated former prime minister Bhutto's party, five weeks after it won a general election.
Pakistani police officers stand under a billboard showing the portraits of slain leader Benazir Bhutto, left, and her husband Asif Ali Zardari near the Parliament House in Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday, March 24, 2008. A prosecutor said a Pakistani court has acquitted Zardari in the 1996 murder of a retired judge.
Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, center, son of Pakistan's slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto arrives at the Parliament in Islamabad, Pakistan on Monday, March. 24, 2008. A longtime loyalist of Bhutto , Yousaf Raza Gilani, was elected Pakistan's new prime minister Monday and he immediately freed judges detained by President Pervez Musharraf.
Yousuf Raza Gilani (C), the candidate for prime minister nominated by the party of slain Pakistani opposition leader Benazir Bhutto arrives at the Parliament building for the election of the leader of the house, in Islamabad on March 24, 2008. Pakistan's parliament prepared on March 24 to elect a new prime minister as the coalition government geared up for a confrontation with key US ally President Pervez Musharraf. Gilani, the candidate nominated by the party of Bhutto, is a virtual certainty to win because the party and its allies have a huge majority in the national assembly.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) exchangeS documents of a joint declaration with Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) during a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Zardari and Sharif two Pakistan's main opposition leaders agreed to form a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) exchanges documents of a joint declaration with Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) during a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) shakes hands with Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) as they exchange a document of joint declaration during a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (C) exchanges documents with Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) during a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) shakes hands with Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) after exchanging a document of joint declaration during a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party (PPP), which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-N (PML-N), trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) and Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) address a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Zardari and Sharif Pakistan's two main opposition leaders agreed to form a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay.
Asif Ali Zardari, widower of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) and Pakistani former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) address a press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Zardari and Sharif Pakistan's two main opposition leaders agreed to form a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay.
Asif Ali Zardari, husband of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (L) welcomes former premier Nawaz Sharif (R) upon his arrival for a joint press conference in Murree, some 30km from Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Zardari and Sharif two Pakistan's main opposition leaders agreed to form a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay.
Asif Ali Zardari, husband of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) speaks with former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) upon their arrival at a joint press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's party, trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, husband of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (L) and former premier Nawaz Sharif (R) shake hands upon their arrival at a joint press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's party, trounced Musharraf's political allies.
Asif Ali Zardari, husband of slain former premier Benazir Bhutto (R) and former premier Nawaz Sharif (L) shake hands upon their arrival at a joint press conference in Murree, some 60kms north of Islamabad on March 9, 2008. Pakistan's two major opposition leaders signed a formal declaration on forming a coalition government, and urged President Pervez Musharraf to convene parliament without delay. Asif Ali Zardari, widowed husband of ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and Nawaz Sharif signed the agreement at a news conference here after a fresh round of coalition talks following last month's general election. Zardari is the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which won the most seats in the February 18 ballot and, along with Sharif's party, trounced Musharraf's political allies.
A cyclist rides past a billboard showing a portrait of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, center, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, top, displayed along a roadside in Rawalpindi, Pakistan, Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008. Opposition parties dealt a crushing electoral blow to allies of President Pervez Musharraf, a private TV network reported Tuesday, winning enough seats to form a new government that could threaten the eight-year rule of America's close ally in its war on terror.
A cyclist rides past a billboard showing the portrait of slain opposition leader Benazir Bhutto, right, and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, top, displayed along the road side in Rawalpindi, Pakistan Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2008. Opposition parties dealt a crushing electoral blow to allies of President Pervez Musharraf, a private TV network reported Tuesday, winning enough seats to form a new government that could threaten the eight-year rule of America's close ally in its war on terror.