President hints at giving up powers

ISLAMABAD President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also leading the ruling PPP, has made it clear to Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani on Monday that he will shed all his powers hindering the democratic system but cannot quit the party office, sources informed on Monday.
Spokesperson to the President, former senator Farhat-ullah Babar said that President Zardari and Prime Minister Gilani during their meeting discussed only issues relating to the constitutional reforms and the Presidents forthcoming address to the Parliament.
However, credible political sources informed TheNation that President Zardari was delighted to know that the March deadline, which was set for completion of the constitutional reforms through consensus of the Parliament, was being met by the Government as per his wishes.
President Zardari was pleased when Prime Minister Gilani apprised him of the preparations being made for his address to the joint sitting of the Parliament ahead of third calendar year of the Parliament beginning from March 23.
President Zardari will unveil the constitutional reforms that envisage reversion of the certain powers being veiled by the President to the Prime Minister as well as repealing of controversial clauses of the 17th constitutional amendment.
The draft package prepared by the powerful Constitutional Reform Committee of the Parliament headed by Senator Raza Rabbani is believed to have examined more than 140 clauses of the various Articles of the Constitution and has recommended amendments in nearly 40 clauses to be covered under the proposed 18th constitutional amendment.
The sources further said that the President and Prime Minister had also mutually agreed to evolve a political roadmap for party aimed at running it in line with its manifesto and goals envisioned by late Benazir Bhutto and partys founding father late Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
They were of the view that President Zardari had agreed to run day-to-day affairs of the party until his son Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was able to assume the role of party Chairman.
The sources further said that both the leaders had mutually agreed to promote their next generations including Bilawal Bhutto Zardari as well as Abdul Qadir Gilani, elder son of Prime Minister Gilani, as future leaders of the PPP.