Zardari reiterates commitment to CoD

ISLAMABAD - In a damage control move, following the imminent debacle on NRO, President Asif Ali Zardari on Saturday had a telephonic contact with PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif and reiterated his pledge to honour his commitment to constitutional reforms and Charter of Democracy (CoD).
Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is also expected to meet Mian Nawaz Sharif next week and would likely take him into confidence on host of issues including Balochistan Package, progress on constitutional reforms and other matters of discord between the two sides.
The sources in both Pakistan People’s Party and Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) informed TheNation on Saturday that President Zardari in a telephonic contact with Nawaz Sharif discussed the overall political situation in the country in the backdrop of recent developments following the staying away of PPP coalition partners on NRO issue.
Both the leaders agreed to enhance contact with each other for strengthening democratic institutions and to frustrate the designs of those elements, which did not want to see the democracy taking roots in the country. The sources further informed that President Zardari, once again, expressed his resolve to do away with all the distortions from the Constitution including 17th Amendment and Article 58(2)b.
The sources further disclosed that President Zardari also expressed his commitment to fully implement the CoD and do away with the distortions from the Constitution. He expressed his commitment that he also wanted to see the balance of power among the state institutions with specific reference to the offices of president and prime minister.
It was the consensus view of both leaders that Parliament should be made strong and sovereign and expressed their commitment to work jointly to achieve this end.