Pakistan's government has rolled back a recent fuel price rise, in an apparent concession to the opposition after losing its majority in parliament.
The 9% rise in the price of petrol and kerosene was described as "unbearable" by the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) when it quit the government on Sunday.
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani was later told by the opposition to reverse the rise or face a confidence vote.
He is struggling to push through tough economic policies demanded by the IMF.
The government has already had to delay the implementation of a reformed general sales tax (RGST), which was a condition of the IMF for the release of the next tranche of an $11bn loan agreed in 2008.
The political crisis comes as Pakistan struggles to cope with the aftermath of the devastating summer floods, which caused $10bn in damage.
And on Tuesday, the governor of Punjab province, Salman Taseer, was assassinated while in Islamabad. His bodyguard is said to have confessed to killing Mr Taseer because of his opposition to blasphemy laws. BBC News
