Islamabad, Mar. 28 : Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has proposed lift Governor's rule in Punjab.

Addressing the much-awaited joint sitting of the Parliament, Zardari said: "I propose lifting of Governor rule in Punjab."

A parliamentary committee would be constituted to review the 17th Amendment and 58-2(B).

"I propose to form a parliamentary committee for reviewing the 17th Amendment and 58-2(B)," The News quoted Zardari, as saying

Islamabad, Mar. 28 : Pakistan's political fraternity has tendered a mixed response to the new US policy on Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) leaders differed over the issue, with some terming the revamped strategy as a positive step, while others dubbing the Obama Administration's decision as a `veiled threat.'

Islamabad, Mar. 28 : More than anything, its Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari's political survival that depends on his much-awaited address to the joint sitting of parliament. His speech could convince the power centers to re-thing over their earlier inclination of applying the Minus One formula.

Islamabad, Mar. 28 : Former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and deposed Punjab chief minister Shahbaz Sharif have filed a petition in the Supreme Court pleading to the apex court to make them parties in the disqualification revision petitions' hearings.

Advocates Abid Hassan Manto and Khawaja Haris filed the petition on behalf of the leaders, and also urged the court to declare the earlier ex-party decision as obsolete.

Lahore, Mar. 28 : After the disqualification of former Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif on February 25, no encounter has taken place in Lahore, while 16 alleged criminals had been killed in the first 56 days of 2009.

According to The News sources, policemen were hesitating to become proactive and conduct encounters after the ouster of the Shahbaz government due to large-scale criticism by the civil society and non-governmental organizations.

Moscow, Mar. 28 : Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said that Pakistan is committed to play a main role in stabilizing the situation in Afghanistan.

“Pakistan has a central role in facilitating the stabilization process in Afghanistan, and we remain deeply committed to this goal,” The Nation quoted him, as saying.

Addressing the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Special Ministerial Conference on Afghanistan in Moscow, Qureshi said that it was Pakistan’s priority to have a peaceful, stable and united Afghanistan.