New Delhi, Mar. 13 : Pakistan Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has reportedly given a 24 hour deadline to Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani to convince President Zardari to accept the new political deal backed by Washington and London.

If Zardari does not accept the new deal, then the Army and the foreign powers will be left with no option but to implement the ''minus-one formula'' which will include Zardari's removal from the Presidency.

Other consequences would be Gilani taking over and power being restored to the PM office, Nawaz Sharif will join the cabinet and deposed SC chief Justice Iftikar Chaudhary will be reinstated, a Times Now report said.

Gilani is expected to convince Zardari to accept the new political and constitutional arrangement and remove Punjab Governor Salman Taseer before the lawyer's Long March reaches Islamabad.

On March 11, Kayani met PM Gilani in Islamabad, where in the ninety-minute meeting the former essentially told the latter to set the deal in motion. Since then, there have been a series of meetings that have shaped the deal. (ANI)