Pakistan's political leader and former Prime Minister Chaudary Shujjat Hussain, center, talks to media after meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, left, as former Chief Minister of Punjab's province Pervez Ellani, right, looks on, in Lahore, Pakistan, Monday, Jan. 3, 2011. Gilani tried to keep his government from collapsing after a key party said it was quitting the ruling coalition, leaving the government short of majority support in parliament.AP/The Associated Press
Pakistan's main opposition group will not push for a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani because to demand such a vote would exacerbate instability, the party said on Tuesday.
Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) believes a vote would "damage the whole country," party chairman Raja Zafar-ul-Haq told Reuters.
The PML-N's decision means Mr. Gilani's fragile Pakistan People's Party-led government could survive the country's latest political crisis after a key partner withdrew on Sunday, depriving the government of a majority.
With little support, the U.S.-backed government will face an even tougher struggle to strengthen the economy, ease poverty and tackle militancy.
PML-N spokesman Ahsan Iqbal said "at the moment, a no-confidence vote does not look like a possibility".
"It's a matter of concern for the government which has turned into a minority (in parliament) as to how they will effectively run its affairs," he said.
The upheaval coincides with increased U.S. pressure on Pakistan to hunt down Islamist militant groups to help it turn around the faltering war in Afghanistan.
Washington said it would offer no comment on Pakistan's coalition politics -- an internal political matter - but suggested the turmoil should have no effect on the campaign against the militants.
"I can't say at this point that the fact that they have this current political situation necessarily distracts them from... what else they're doing," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters. "We are going to continue to work with the Pakistani government."
U Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari expressed full confidence on Monday in the country's beleaguered prime minister, who is scrambling to prevent his government from falling after a key coalition partner quit.
"(Zardari) has full confidence in Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani and solidly stands behind him in foiling any attempt to destabilise the coalition government," the presidential spokesman said in a statement.
Even before the latest setback, the government faced opposition from almost all political parties to its bid to implement a reformed general sales tax (RGST) -- a key condition for the release of a sixth IMF tranche.
Following the defection of the MQM, the government is 12 seats short of the number needed to survive a no-confidence vote.
Were it to lose such a vote, the country would hold early elections. Mr. Gilani has been scrambling to win the support of opposition leaders to save his alliance.
"From this point onward, the government will be on crutches. The no-confidence vote is a threat for it," said analyst Ahmed Bilal Mehboob.
The country's main stock index ended 1.44 percent lower, in contrast with rising stocks elsewhere in Asia, reflecting concerns over the stability of the government, traders said.