Wikileaks has revealed that President Asif Ali Zardari did not want to repeal 17th amendment, as he said it to Ambassador N.W. Peterson during their meeting in 2009.
According to Wikileaks, Ambassador N.W. Peterson sent diplomatic
cable to Washington on 21st March 2009 about the details of meeting
with President Zardari on 18th March 2009. Ms Patterson informed
Washington that in spite of the pressure labeled by Nawaz Sharif and
Prime Minister Gilani to repeal 17th amendment, President Zardari has
no interest to repeal the 17th amendment. Through the proposed
amendment, the powers were to be handed over to prime Minister.
Wikileaks further reveals that President Zardari also hinted to Ms.
Patterson that he wants to limit the powers of Chief Justice Iftikhar
Mohammad Chaudhry. He also expressed his reservations to Ambassador
Patterson that United States and Britain are not providing reasonable
support to him on the current crises.
Patterson further said that she is not sure that President Zardari
will implement the announcements made by Prime Minister Gilani in pubic.
The separate diplomatic sent by US ambassador to Washington says
that according to President Zardari, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani would
not support Nawaz Sharif for the position of Prime Minister.
During the meeting on 9th February 2009 WITH NW Patterson, President
Zardari claimed that Mohammad Nawaz Sharif wants to use Dr Abdul Qadeer
Khan through his party platform. To counter this move it should be
responded at once.
According to diplomatic cable President Zardari said to Ms.
Patterson that he was ready to negotiate with Shahbaz Sharif to extend
the retirement age limit of judges. However, Shahabz Sharif did not
support given regarding the move. SANA
