ISLAMABAD, May 2: President Pervez Musharraf has conveyed to PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, through a messenger, his ascent, in principle, to the removal of president’s powers under Article 58(2)b of the Constitution, DawnNews television channel reported on Friday.

However, the president’s reported readiness to agree to the repeal of the controversial article is said to be conditional because he seeks, in return, a legal cover for all actions he took as army chief after imposing the state of emergency on Nov 3 last year.

The president’s camp sprang into action after Mr Zardari and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif agreed in Dubai to reinstate the judges sacked by President Musharraf.

Most of the reports about President Musharraf’s reported message to Mr Zardari cited people in the presidency as the source. However, inexplicably, the sources insisted on remaining anonymous.

The president’s change of heart is believed to be a result of intense consultations that he had been holding with his legal aides over the past two months on the issue of judges’ reinstatement, his own status as president and the fallout of the Nov 3 emergency.

The president also held meetings with his political aides. He met PML-Q president Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, former president Sardar Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari, former prime minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Faisal Saleh Hayat and Raza Hayat Hirraj.

Sources said that president’s meeting with three former PPP men was significant and gave credence to reports that the presidential camp had a channel for negotiations with the PPP.

During the meetings, the president summed up his strategy after explaining his position and sought suggestions on how to handle the issue of reinstatement of the judges without disturbing his own position.

Informed sources said that the president’s camp was upbeat about a power-sharing agreement between the PPP and MQM as a result of which the ruling coalition would have an additional support of 29 legislators at the centre.

The president’s aides, the sources said, were convinced that Dubai talks had failed to resolve some contentious issues between the PPP and PML-N. They were also convinced that the judges could not be reinstated through a resolution and that a constitutional amendment would be required and that would need a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament.

According to the sources, the presidential camp was ready to challenge the judges’ reinstatement through a resolution in court.Senior PML-Q leader Tariq Azim confirmed to Dawn that efforts for a quid pro quo were going on and the presidents’ camp was involved in talks with the PPP in order to avoid a clash with the new government.

In return, the sources said, the president wanted the PPP leader to give indemnity through legislation to all his actions taken after Nov 3, except for judges’ reinstatement, and he should be allowed to serve as constitutional head of the state for his full tenure.

President’s legal aides, including Sharifuddin Pirzada and Attorney General Malik Mohammad Qayyum, are reported to have told the president that since the Article 58(2)b was a big threat to the new government it would be fair to make the offer to the ruling coalition to end a political impasse.

Sources at the presidency confirmed that the ANP and JUI-F were on board in the quid pro quo strategy and they would continue to support the PPP.

President’s legal advisers are reported to have prepared a bill to give indemnity to the Nov 3 actions by taking all players in parliament on board.