PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari and PML-N head Nawaz Sharif agreed in principle on Thursday evening to start work on the removal of President Pervez Musharraf from the Presidency at some “suitable” time in future, but first both would work for the immediate and smooth transfer of power.
The timing of the move against Musharraf has been left to the former prime minister once these parties settle down in the house and the parliamentary system starts functioning.
Sources have confirmed that following the meeting of Nawaz and Zardari, which greatly helped the political forces to break the deadlock on three key issues, it has been agreed between the two leaders that the lawyers and constitutional experts of both PML-N and PPP would soon meet to discuss the modalities to restore the sacked judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.
Zardari is said to have also agreed to undo all the important amendments made in the Constitution since 1973 and the Constitution might be revived as on October 12, 1999, the day Nawaz was arrested and handcuffed from the Prime Minister House.
Meanwhile, sources said, Nawaz had gone to meet Zardari with a three point agenda – restoration of judges, revival of the Constitution as on October 12, 1999 and removal of President Musharraf.
Zardari told Nawaz that he did not have any objection to the removal of Musharraf from the Presidency and he was authorised to decide the timing of the parliament session in which a resolution to remove Musharraf might be put forward for voting.
One source claimed that before meeting Nawaz, Zardari in his secret meeting with one of the aides of Musharraf had sent a message to the president that it would be better for him to resign or he might be under pressure to submit to the demand of his political allies to start impeachment proceedings.
Meanwhile, sources have confirmed to The News that to the surprise of Nawaz Sharif, Zardari, who had just met the American ambassador in Pakistan, did not show any resistance when Nawaz told him that the time had come to get rid of Musharraf, as the people of Pakistan had given their verdict against his continuation as the president.
Nawaz was of the view that he had contested the elections on the basis of his three slogans and it was difficult for him to ignore those vital issues which he had raised during his election campaign.
Sources said Zardari did not accept the offer of Nawaz to form the government at the Centre without any representation of the PML-N in the cabinet. Nawaz was offering only to extend parliamentary support from outside.
Nawaz was of the view that the PPP was given a majority by the people of Pakistan and it was its first right to form the government. But, for the continuation of the PPP government, the PML-N was ready to back it.
However, Zardari said this offer was not acceptable to the PPP, as the PML-N would be required to fully participate in the government and give names for the ministerial portfolios.
Sources said it was also agreed in the meeting that all those parties which had majority either at the Centre or in the provinces would form their governments and would appoint their own party men to lead the governments.
These sources said Nawaz also discussed the issue of removal of those amendments that were made after the removal of his government. Nawaz was of the view that the Constitution should be revived in its original shape.
The sources said both the leaders only discussed the major issues and left the rest of the work to their lawyers and constitutional experts, to be done once the parliament would start functioning after the transfer of power. These leaders are said to have also agreed that the first job of the political parties should be the transfer of power so that people could feel a change after the general elections in the country.