Sharif quits Pakistan's ruling coalition

Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif pulled his party out of Pakistan's ruling coalition on Monday, a move likely to concentrate power with parties seeking to preserve Pakistan's alliance with the United States.

Sharif said he is withdrawing from the five-month-old alliance because it failed to restore judges ousted by ex-President Pervez Musharraf or agree upon a neutral successor to the US-allied strongman.

He blamed the main ruling party of Asif Ali Zardari for the break-up, and named a retired judge to run against him in the September 6 presidential election.

However, he vowed to play a "constructive" role while in the opposition.

"We don't want to be instrumental in overthrowing any government. We don't have any such intentions," Sharif told a news conference.