LAHORE, Dec 28: Responding to President Asif Ali Zardari’s indirect criticism of the PML-N in his speech at a ceremony to mark Benazir Bhutto’s death anniversary on Saturday, PML-N president and Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif said here on Sunday his party was ready to fully support the PPP provided it agreed to implement at least four points of the Charter of Democracy (CoD).

Mr Zardari, who is also the co-chairperson of the PPP, had in his speech asked “the people from Punjab and Balochistan to go with us”.

It is for the first time that Mr Zardari publicly criticised, although indirectly, the PML-N leadership’s attitude.

Political observers see it as an indication that the gap between the two partners ruling Punjab is widening.

The fact that Governor Salman Taseer on his return from Naudero went directly to the ’s dashing to the Lahore residence of Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi gives credence to reports that the PPP is trying to engage the PML-Q in its efforts to force an in-house change in Punjab.

Mr Shahbaz Sharif said at a ceremony here on Sunday: “I reiterate my party’s offer for a dialogue for supremacy of the parliament and strengthening the democratic system provided it implements four points of the charter. (If that happens) progress is quite possible.”

Two of the points he ennumerated were repeal of the 17th Constitutional Amendment and establishing an independent and strong judiciary.

“Abolition of the 17th Amendment is no problem because no political force, democratic or undemocratic, is objecting to it,” he said.

He demanded the impediments if there was any hurdle in the way it should be made public.

He asserted that a strong judiciary was necessary for the country’s survival.