The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) cannot shy away from abolishing the 17th Amendment because [former PPP chairperson] Benazir Bhutto had signed this in the Charter of Democracy (CoD) in London, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Central Secretary General Iqbal Zafar Jhagra said.

He was addressing a press conference on Tuesday at the residence of PML-N Sindh President Syed Ghous Ali Shah. Jhagra said that keeping the CoD in view, the 18th Amendment would be presented in the National Assembly, and the 17th Amendment Bill could be abolished in the National Assembly “in no time if the PPP wanted to.”

Jhagra underlined the need for dialogues of political parties to eliminate terrorism from the country and formulate an independent foreign policy. The PML-N is not in politics for power – it is there to change the system, he said, adding that referring to the Pakistan Muslim League – Quaid (PML-Q) as a political party would be equal to bringing political parties to disrepute.

Democracy now prevails in Pakistan, and this change “did not come because of US Vice President-elect Joe Biden,” Jhagra said. The PML-N struggles for an independent judiciary and it was wrong to say that it had planted deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudry.

Jhagra said that it was a clear message of his party chief, Nawaz Sharif, that he would

not hesitate from any sacrifice for the solidarity and integrity

of the country and for this purpose dialogues could be held with any political force – even the PML-Q.