17th amendment, Article 58 2(b): PML-N to get tough with government after December 31

Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will take an aggressive stance against the government after December 31, 2009 if it failed to repeal 17th amendment and Article 58 2 (b) to bring the Constitution to its original shape, reliable sources told Business Recorder on Friday.
According to sources, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) has given assurance to PML-N that the issue of 17th amendment and constitutional reforms would be resolved by the end of this year. The assurance was given in the last meeting, which was held in October between PML-N Quaid Mian Nawaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari. Constitutional Committee on Reforms Chairman Mian Raza Rabbani was also present in the meeting.
The sources said the PPP government requested the main opposition party PML-N to give it till the end of the year to make good all outstanding agreements between the two. After this assurance, Nawaz Sharif took a 'soft approach' on the issue of corruption and the NRO against the government particularly President Zardari and decided to adopt the policy of wait and see till December-end.
The sources said that PML-N members might quit the parliamentary committee after 31st December if it failed to resolve the issue of 17th amendment. On the other hand, the Prime Minister has already asked the parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms to finalise the draft of the constitutional package as early as possible.
When contacted, PML-N leader Siddiqul Farooq said "our top priority is the revival of the Constitution for which we may wait till 31stDecember." "At the same time we are condemning the corruption in the country. We want the corrupt elements to be brought to book at the earliest. We also want an independent and objective probe into loan write offs," he added. PML-N Secretary General Senator Zafar Iqbal Jhagra said abolishing 17th amendment to bring the Constitution to its original form and to empower the chief executive for good governance remained a key PML (N) demand.
"The prime minister is chief executive in the parliamentary system. The prime minister is helpless in the current system. In the parliamentary system, the prime minister is answerable to the Parliament. Parliamentarians can demand good governance from the chief executive and can bring no confidence motion in the House," he added. He said if the government failed to repeal 17th amendment at the end of this month the PML-N would then formulate its response to allegations of corruption against the PPP government.