Javed Hashmi, senior vice president of PML-N, said on Wednesday that the party had finalised a draft bill to repeal the 17th Amendment, which would be handed over to Raza Rabani on Thursday, asking him to co-sponsor it. Talking to newsmen, he said that this bill would retain four articles of the 17th Amendment concerning joint electorate, lowering of voters' age, increase in provincial assembly seats and women seats in parliament.
He said that the proposed bill reflects the true spirit of the Charter of Democracy. He said his party was ready to forge alliance with President Asif Ali Zardari if the latter would deliver on his pledges and come on track. "If Zardari comes on the right track and fulfils his promises made with the PML-N, then we are ready to embrace him", Hashmi said.
He said that PML-N would table constitutional bill for repeal of 17th amendment in parliament and 17th amendment annulment bill could be approved within minutes if the government would want to do so. He said that the party was determined to undo 17th amendment, and most of the people from PPP also wanted this. However, time would tell who was supporter of abolition of 17th amendment and who opposed it, he remarked.
He said Saudi Arabia was ready to play its role to defuse tension between Pakistan and India. India should sit along with Pakistan across the table for dialogue rather than hurling threats. Mumbai attacks were intolerable and joint probe into such incidents was imperative, he added.
"We should not give up our contacts to de-escalate the situation as lack of contacts would give rise to misperceptions and the situation would go from bad to worse. PML-N was expecting responsible attitude, but Indian leadership disappointed us," he added.