Pakistan minister says to quit in fresh blow to PM Sharif

By Asif Shahzad ISLAMABAD (Reuters) - Pakistani Interior Minister Nisar Ali Khan said on Thursday he would quit his post once the Supreme Court made a ruling on corruption accusations against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whatever the verdict. The announcement by one of Sharif's longstanding political allies marks a fresh blow for the premier as he awaits the ruling, expected on Friday, which could disqualify him from office. Khan said he had clashed with other members of Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) over how to tackle the Panama Papers leak, which led to an investigation into how Sharif obtained his wealth. It is unclear whether the court will dismiss Sharif outright or recommend a fresh investigation by the National Accountability Bureau that would likely delay the process until after elections next year. The PML-N would in either case retain its majority in parliament. The premier this month dismissed as slander a report from the corruption investigation that raised questions about his wealth. "The day Supreme Court decides - whether it is in favour of Nawaz Sharif or against him - I have decided I will quit my ministry and I will also quit the National Assembly," Khan said. Khan said he wanted to end his 33-year association with PML-N. "I'm done with politics," he told a news conference. Khan's importance to PML-N has been enhanced by his close ties with Pakistan's powerful military. Khan's elder brother served as chief of the army general staff and his brother-in-law was a general. Analysts say Khan has often acted as a bridge between the military and Sharif, who has had tumultuous relations with the army during his three stints in power. SUPREME COURT VERDICT During his news conference, Khan praised Sharif's decency but criticised others close to the premier and spoke of a conspiracy to exclude him from meetings. "I had the courage to tell the truth in front of Nawaz Sharif no matter how bitter that truth was," Khan said. Political analyst Rasul Baksh Rais said the Supreme Court's decision would make or break the PML-N's fortunes in elections due next year. "If the ruling goes against Mr. Nawaz Sharif, then the Muslim League-N is not going to maintain its coherence, its public appeal. It will lose and the winner will be ... (opposition leader) Imran Khan" said Rais, who teaches politics at the Lahore University of Management Sciences. Any ruling short of disqualification would mean "politics as usual", he added. (additional reporting by Kay Johnson; Writing by Drazen Jorgic; Editing by Gareth Jones and John Stonestreet)