Vowing to make Pakistan return to parliamentary democracy on the lines of Westminster, 56-year-old Gilani said for this the 'Charter of Democracy' signed by former premiers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif had to be implemented in letter and spirit.

“For a new Pakistan we need to implement the Charter of Democracy signed by two former prime ministers,” Gilani told The Times newspaper, adding “I think this is the way forward.” One of the key demands of the Charter is to return to the Prime Minister the powers that former President Pervez Musharraf gave himself to appoint the army chief, Supreme Court judges and election commission chief.

This, the British daily said, would make Gilani the country's undisputed chief executive while being accountable to Parliament unlike the President.

“We have to return to parliamentary democracy on the lines of Westminster,” he said, indicating his determination to strip the presidency of the extra powers that it accumulated under Musharraf, who took power in a coup in 1999.