Making fresh efforts to win back the estranged ally, PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari on Thursday requested PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif to rejoin Pakistan's ruling coalition, but the former premier said it is not possible in the "near future."

Zardari made the request when he telephoned Sharif, senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal told reporters. The PPP chief also asked Sharif, who pulled out of the coalition on Monday, to withdraw the PML-N's candidate from the presidential poll to be held on September 6.

During the conversation, Zardari referred to his apology extended to Sharif shortly after he broke away from the coalition on Monday as well as his comments about being unable to restore the deposed judges due to "pressures from certain quarters".

Sharif thanked Zardari for his apology but said the PML-N would not like to rejoin the coalition "in the near future".

The PML-N chief split from the ruling coalition after accusing Zardari of reneging on several agreements to reinstate dozens of judges deposed by former President Pervez

Musharraf during last year's emergency rule. The PML-N has fielded former Chief Justice Saeed-uz-Zaman Siddiqui against Zardari in the presidential polls.

Zardari had apologised to Sharif on Monday itself for hurting his feelings and hinted that certain powers within and outside Pakistan, which had played a role in the ouster of

Musharraf, were opposed to the restoration of the deposed judges.