The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Islamabad

The United States has given its green signal to the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) to remove President General Pervez Musahrraf from his office, local newspaper The Nation reported. According to the report, the US government has conveyed its message to PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari to initiate move to remove General Pervez from the presidency. The report quoting a reliable source said that US Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte, along with a delegation of Democratic Senators, would be visiting Pakistan within next three days to meet President

Pervez Musharraf and PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari.

"Negroponte will arrive in Pakistan with a message of US President George W Bush for President Musharraf," the newspaper said.

It said that Negroponte will give a timeframe to President Pervez Musharraf for quitting his office. The PPP influential leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim is likely to become the new president after General Pervez Musharraf steps down, it said.

In the meantime, the Pakistan Peoples Party central executive committee on Saturday disclosed a proposed constitutional package to resolve the political crisis in Pakistan.

The proposed package was drafted to amend the Pakistan constitution that includes cutting presidential power, restoration of sacked judges and enhancement of prime minister's power in appointing the army chief, posting of officers of armed forces and appointing provincial governors and bureaucrats. These powers are now exercised by the President.

Besides, as local newspapers reported, PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari instructed Federal Law Minister Farook H Naek to present the proposed constitution amendment package to his government's coalition partner Pakistan Muslim League-N President Mian Newaz Sharif in person.

PPP sources said the draft constitutional package was dispatched to Newaz Sharif so that the main coalition partner would have a detail view of it and later Zardari would himself discuss it with Newaz Sharif.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhury Saturday visited Faisalabad city to address a lawyers' convention where he was given a rousing welcome. Earlier, he was given official protocol by the provincial government when entered into Punjab with his motorcade of campaigning lawyers.