ISLAMABAD - PRESIDENT Pervez Musharraf huddled with key aides on Monday after Pakistan's main opposition parties agreed to form a coalition and reinstate the judges he sacked last year, officials said.

Asif Ali Zardari, widower of assassinated ex-premier Benazir Bhutto, and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif signed a coalition pact on Sunday following last month's general elections in which they trounced Mr Musharraf's allies.

In a major blow to Mr Musharraf, a key US ally in the 'war on terror', they also agreed to bring back, within the first 30 days of the new parliament, the judges ousted by the president during emergency rule last November.

Government officials said Mr Musharraf was 'meeting legal aides' at his office in the garrison city of Rawalpindi but did not give details on what was discussed.

Private television channels said it was a 'strategy meeting' including legal and constitutional advisers.

Mr Musharraf has come under pressure from Mr Sharif and supporters of the sacked judges to step down following the drubbing of his political backers in the Feb 18 parliamentary polls.

Mr Musharraf seized power in a military coup in 1999 but his grip on power weakened last year when he stepped down as army chief under intense domestic and international pressure.

His political troubles began almost exactly a year ago when he first tried to oust chief justice Chaudhry, citing alleged misconduct by the judge.

Mr Chaudhry fought back but was finally removed under emergency rule.

The fate of the judges was one of the main sticking points between Mr Zardari, the de facto leader of Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party, which won the most seats in the election, and Sharif, head of the Pakistan Muslim League-N.

Ms Bhutto was killed in a suicide attack on Dec 27, causing the elections to be delayed.

The two parties thrashed out their differences at the talks on Sunday.

'The leadership was of the firm opinion that the coalition partners are ready to form the government and the national and provincial assemblies should be convened immediately,' Mr Sharif said on Sunday.

Mr Musharraf on Saturday urged the incoming government to leave politics aside and focus on good governance, economic management and peace and stability.

He denied accusations that he was delaying calling the new parliament, and said on Friday the new assemblies would be convened within 10 days.

Mr Zardari said they had nothing 'personal' against the embattled Mr Musharraf.

But Mr Sharif said they considered him to be an unconstitutional president. -- AFP