Zardari hands Punjab back to Sharif (Zardari 'U-turn')

Pakistan's president has said that he will return control of the Punjab province to the country's main opposition party, ending its rule by the central government.Asif Ali Zardari told a joint session of parliament that he will allow the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), led by Nawaz Sharif, to return to power in the eastern province."We shall recommend the lifting of the governor rule in Punjab," Zardari said on Saturday."The Pakistan's People Party also will support the candidates of the PML-N, whoever he may be." The speech represented a "major U-turn" in policy for Zardari.Although the opposition welcomed the speech overall, it remained concerned over the extent of the Pakistani president's powers and Zardari's apparent unwillingness to relinquish them easily, Hyder said."Some people say that he could have relinquished those powers on his own; now Zardari has told the parliament that they have to form a committee which will deliberate."Given Pakistan's history of committees, it means procrastinating over the issue," he said.