Lahore, May 23 (ANI): Amid reports of tensions brewing up between the Presidency and PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari over the government drafting a Constitutional package entailing provisions to clip President Pervez Musharraf's wings, the latter is learnt to have said that he would step down rather than being a "toothless" head of the state.
At a meeting with PML-Q leaders last evening, Musharraf reportedly said that he would resign rather than becoming a 'toothless president' like Chaudhry Fazal Elahi or Rafiq Tarar.
Musharraf told Shujaat Hussain and Hamid Nasir Chattha in a meeting on Wednesday that the removal of Article 58 (2b) would pave way for military intervention, the Daily Times quoted Musharraf as telling PML-Q leaders at the meeting.
Media reports over the past few days have suggested that the PPP is drafting a constitutional package which would clip Musharraf's powers of dissolving the National Assembly, and thus pace the way of his exit from the scene. Following such reports, Musharraf reportedly asked the erstwhile ruling party the PML-Q to strengthen itself both in and out of the Parliament.
PPP to undo Constitutional amendments done by previous regime
Islamabad, May 23 (ANI): The PPP is learnt to be planning to incorporate as many as 20 amendments in the Pakistan Constitution through the new constitutional package its is preparing, but it is not yet clear how it would get the package passed through the Parliament as it lacks requisite numbers in both the Houses - National Assembly and the Senate.
Among the 20 amendments said to be proposed by the party in the constitutional package, it intends to undo the earlier amendments done by the erstwhile regime led by President Pervez Musharraf.
"Most of the previous amendments to the basic document over the past few years would be undone, and for this purpose over 20 articles would be drastically changed," an official privy to the draft constitutional package said.
On the other hand, after walking out of the coalition government, the PML-N seems to have decided not to support a constitutional package which doesn't talk about restoration of sacked judges, including deposed chief justice Iftikhar Chowdhary.
"Make no mistake, we would support no package unless the deposed judges are restored first through a resolution in parliament without any discrimination as we have been pressing since long. If we were to vote for such a package that would seek the reinstatement of the sacked justices the way the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) likes, our coalition with it would not have received a severe jolt," The News quoted a senior PML-N leader as saying.
Similarly, a top PML-Q leader said that his party would also not back any constitutional package unless it was framed according to its policy. "We will not toe the PPP line and act as an independent political party."
Without the backing of the PML-N or the PML-Q, the PPP, even with the collaboration of its allies, including the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), the Awami National Party (ANP), the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) and independents, is in no position to pass the 18th Amendment in either house of parliament, said the paper.
PML-N also thinks that it might be a gameplan to Zardari to show that he can't fulfill PML-N's demand of restoring the sacked judiciary. "When in the end PPP Co-chairman Asif Zardari would not be able to garner the requisite two-thirds majority in either or both houses of parliament after moving the 18th Amendment, he would conveniently say that he can't amend the Constitution because he doesn't have the required figure. This would further delay the restoration of the sacked judges, and this is what the PPP chief wants," said an unidentified PML-N leader.
But, the PPP pooh-poohs this idea, saying that it is unjustified to doubt its intentions. "Anybody who wants real parliamentary democracy must support the new constitutional package as it will dispense with gross distortions in the Constitution," one PPP leader said.
Federal Minister Qamaruzzaman Keira said that the PPP's effort is to have 'some attractions' for all major parliamentary actors so that they agree to vote for it. "When the package will be unveiled, the PML-N would definitely extend support to it because it would also include its demands," he added.
In the meantime, Pakistan People's Party co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari has said that draft of 62 points constitutional package to reduce the powers of President Pervez Musharraf and amend the Constitution has been finalised which will be sent to the Prime Minister, PML-N Chief Nawaz Sharif and the coalition parties.
He provided few details, but made clear that the reforms would reverse changes made to the constitution since Musharraf seized power in a 1999 military coup.
Zardari said the package could be put to a vote in Parliament within weeks, though some observers are predicting that it will quickly bog down in political horse-trading.
Addressing a seminar on media freedom, Zardari appealed to his coalition partners for unity.
He evoked the sacrifices of former premier Benazir Bhutto and her father to bolster his party's claim to lead the struggle for democracy.
Zardari also took a swipe at lawyers who are threatening to mount massive street protests next month unless the judges are reinstated.
"We have a little seniority over other newfound democrats," Zardari said in remarks directed at the lawyers.
"We will solve your issues, but let us solve them politically. Don't try to tell us how to run politics," The Dawn quoted him, as saying.
Unhappy Musharraf to grill Gilani over deteriorating economic, political situation
Islamabad, May 23 (ANI): Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has decided to speak to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani over the "political uncertainty" prevailing in the country.
Musharraf is also said to be unhappy with the economic situation the country was facing after the new PPP-led coalition government took over last month.
"The President is worried about the economic situation... he is thinking of talking to the prime minister about it," Presidential spokesman Maj Gen Qureshi was quoted as saying by a Pakistani journalist who was attended a "background" briefing by Qureshi.
Musharraf's spokesman also said that the President would soon speak to Gilani over the "deteriorating political, economic and law and order situation in the country" and convey to the government that political uncertainty was scaring away investors.
According to him, foreign countries had agreed to set up nine universities in Pakistan, but "now they have decided not to come here because of the political uncertainty", reported the Daily Times.
The spokesman ruled out the possibility of the President's impeachment because the government was still "short of a two-thirds majority" in a joint sitting of both houses.
Earlier, in an interview with the Indian news agency, Zardari had reportedly said: "The president has taken off his uniform... but that does not make him (Musharraf) a democrat or a civilian president... the public is telling the PPP that they don't want bread, they don't want electricity, they want him out."
In reply to a question, Zardari went to the extent of saying: "I don't know whether his days are numbered or my days are numbered or our government's days are numbered. Who knows that?"
Zardari's statement only added fuel to the fire, as tensions continue to brew up between the PPP-led coalition government and the Presidency. The main bone of contention between the two sides is the new constitutional package being drafted by the PPP which, according to insiders, entails provisions of clipping Musharraf's wings and taking away key powers from him, including that of dissolving the National Assembly.
