May 26, 2008	Monday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 20, 1429

ISLAMABAD, May 25: PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari said on Sunday that the PPP could muster the support of as many lawmakers as required for impeaching President Pervez Musharraf, but hastened to add that his party did not want to do that in order to avoid what he called a political upheaval.

In an interview with the Express TV channel here on Sunday, the PPP leader said his party wanted to resolve all issues through dialogue and did not want confrontation with anyone. “We are ready to hold talks with anyone, including (President) Musharraf, despite differences,” Mr Zardari said.

He said the PPP wanted reinstatement of all judges, including deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, adding that there should be no doubt about that.

He said the constitutional package prepared by his party was not final and it could be amended to accommodate views of coalition partners.

Mr Zardari termed the constitutional package an important turn in the country’s history, adding that he wanted a thorough debate to evolve consensus on various issues.

The package was based on the Charter of Democracy and it had the support of most of the political parties, he said.

Mr Zardari said all political parties wanted to see democratic norms flourishing in the country, adding that the package could be improved through a healthy debate and in consultation with all stakeholders.

He said there was a possibility of presenting the package in the National Assembly before the budget session and holding debate on it after the budget session.

He expressed the hope that the constitutional package would be approved in July with consensus, and said that he had asked Supreme Court Bar Association President Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan to hold talks on the issue because the PPP wanted to improve the judicial system in the country.

Mr Zardari said that the PPP did not believe in politics of confrontation as it wanted reconciliation and resolution of the judicial issue through dialogue.

The PPP co-chairman said that his party believed in the supremacy of parliament and did not want confrontation with anyone, adding that politicians’ job was to make possible what appeared to be impossible.

In reply to a question, he said there was working relationship between PPP and the presidency.

The PPP leader pledged to address grievances of the people of Balochistan and said that efforts were under way in this regard.