Law Minister Farooq Naek, a leading member of Bhutto’s party, said Friday that lawmakers should now work out a solution to the judges issue. Speculation has been growing that Bhutto’s widower and political successor, Asif Ali Zardari, may compromise with Musharraf on the matter.

On Thursday, a Sharif lieutenant rejected Zardari’s call for a “comprehensive package” to guarantee the independence of the judiciary and said the judges should be restored through a simple parliamentary resolution.

Musharraf used the emergency to purge the Supreme Court just before it could rule on the legality of his October re-election as president.Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, was still army chief at the time, a post some constitutional experts say disqualified him from running for elected office.

Some observers believe Musharraf will have to quit if ousted Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, accused by Musharraf of conspiracy and corruption and put under house arrest, returns.Others have suggested Musharraf could survive, particularly if the new coalition government begins to crack.

A series of violent incidents, including rioting that killed 10 people Wednesday in the southern city of Karachi, have revitalised Musharraf’s supporters, who were routed in February parliamentary elections.