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It is as if the Magna Carta has been signed. The presidents powers have been curtailed, but he survives.

As the world churns. After all the pomp and ceremony, Mr. Zardari announced that he was ready to form a government with the PML(Q). Much to the chagrin of Mr. Sharif, the PPP has also made a deal with President Musharraf which will allow him to stay as president.

The details of the deal that are emerging are as follows:

1) President Musharraf will sign the abolishment of 58-2(B), relinquishing his powers to dissolve parliament and firing the government.

2) All judges will be restored. However they will not hear the cases pending against him or recuse themselves from the cases involving Mr. Musharraf.

3) Mr. Zardari’s PPP will appoint the Prime Minister.

4) Mr. Sharif will not be in the governemnt and may want to eliminate the ban on the three terms.

5) Mr. Musharraf will not be impeached.

6) The PPP forms a government with the ANP in Baluchistan and the MQM in Sindh.

7) Maulana Fazlur Rehman will be joining the government in some capacity.

A government of national unity without the politics of revenge and recrimination will enable Pakistan to put forward a strong response to the enemies of Pakistan

Musharraf’s olive branch – compromise on judges

ISLAMABAD: In a major climb-down, President Pervez Musharraf has sent a message to Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Zardari that sacked judges of the higher courts could be reinstated provided they don’t hear cases against him, an official privy to the developments told IANS on Thursday. The new package offered to the PPP, which is discussing details of government formation with the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, has apparently come in the form of a message conveyed through a common friend. “The presidency is ready to restore the judges provided they don’t sit on benches hearing cases against the president,” said the top government official. He said the presidency had also suggested that judges appointed by Musharraf after November 3 would be accommodated in the same positions or transferred to government positions usually held by serving judges. “Musharraf has also agreed to forego powers of sacking parliament and appointing services chiefs,” the official said, adding that in return he wanted an assurance that no impeachment move would be tabled. According to the official, Zardari has not directly refused the options given by the presidency but said he would discuss this with his partners. online

Talks between Zardari, Musharraf at advanced stage..Statesman Report

PESHAWAR: Talks between President Pervez Musharraf’s aides and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari on an arrangement for “peaceful co-existence” are at an “advanced stage”, a media report said today.

The back channel talks between Musharraf’s aides led by National Security Council Secretary Tariq Aziz and Zardari were “at an advanced stage” and the “two sides had met two or three times in the past 10 days”, Dawn News channel reported.

The PPP is set to form government at the centre with the support of the PML-N led by former premier Nawaz Sharif, who has been pressing for Musharraf’s ouster after opposition parties swept the February 18 general election.

Quoting sources, the channel said Musharraf’s aides had initially tried to convince Zardari to form a government with the support of the PML-Q, the party which backs the President and was routed in the polls.

However, according to the report, Zardari said this was “not possible”. The sources said Zardari had made it clear to Musharraf’s aides that he wanted “smooth sailing” for the PPP-led government.

Zardari also said “peaceful co-existence” with Musharraf would be possible only if the President did not interfere in the affairs of new government and did not try to destabilise it, the sources said. PPP leaders were not immediately available for comments.

The questioned being asked is. How long will the PPP government last before the PML(N) try to bring it down.