LAHORE The 18th Constitutional Amendment bill has addressed the core issues, the presence of which in the Constitution was a bone of contention at the political level and could cause at that time too, instability and uncertainty to the whole system, thus keeping it susceptible to the invasion of undemocratic forces. The House is going to debate and strike down almost all visible irritants in the Constitution. Such an exercise was also undertaken by Nawaz Sharif government in March 1997 by way of scrapping controversial 8th Amendment brought in by the then military dictator late General Ziaul Haq. Then PPP, led by Benazir Bhutto, had fully supported the PML(N) government, although it enjoyed a heavy mandate itself. To the historians, PPP government, since dismemberment of the country in 1971 has been peculiar in delivering at difficult times. After Dhaka's fall the nation was dejected and somber but Bhuttos policies brought it out of the sad situation and put it on the track by giving it a consensus Constitution and later kickstarting the nuclear programme after Indian nuclear explosion in 1974. Benazir and Nawaz Sharif joined hands against Musharraf and struck Charter of Democracy (CoD) not to let the dictatorship block the door of democracy again. The same CoD reflects in the Constitutional bill, now approved with consensus. In view of the fact that the present democratic set up is backed by public vote, the Constitutional reforms package can bring a great deal of good to the nation and the country provided it is implemented in letter and spirit and with full honesty. In our history never had such a turbulent time come as it was today when the modern day global level problems were besetting the country demanding the rulers, politicians and the public to get united against the odds. If we look into things deeply, we find ourselves passing through a phase of change, as well as of revival of what we lost after October 12,1999 besides spotlighting the questionable role played by Pervez Musharraf at that time and thereafter particularly in the wake of 9/11. The judiciary was restored with the support of the PML(N), lawyers and the civil society in March last year and the restored judiciary erased the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) to take the corrupt to task. Now the Parliament is going to strike down the 17th Amendment, LFO, Article 58(2)b, granting autonomous powers to the provinces, new name to NWFP, items to streamline the system of Assembly and provide the Prime Minister with the added powers as backup of a good and stable democratic system corresponding to the call of the Parliamentary democratic system. With the Constitutional reforms most of the acts undertaken by former dictator Pervez Muharraf to accumulate powers in his hand, as well as, to ward off any threat to his rule, have gone away with the efforts of the people, the judiciary and the politicians. The common action of all the three segments of our national life and their combination is not only a rejection of what the last dictator did but also reinforces the idea of holding him accountable for all that. After undoing last era acts, now a greater unity will be required from the nation to undo what Musharraf unduly conceded in the war on terror, the results of which are being faced by everyone today. Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilanis address to the National Assembly showed his spirit to undertake fresh responsibilities after the powers to appoint the services chiefs and other Constitutional office holders would shift to him through the 18th Constitutional Amendment. The dictators in the past weakened the Federation by dividing the people on the basis of ethnicity, language and region and the same paradigm in one or the other form still persists. In view of the observers an acute sagacity and discretion at the political level is a requisite now, so that the newly delivered freedom to the provinces may not be exploited by negative forces for their own gains instead of using it for the economic and social benefit of the entire people. Observers say the provincial government with added powers would also come under added responsibilities to keep a check on the centrifugal forces and to keep the province a Federating unit to let the system run in an organic whole. A significant point in the package is a compulsory education as fundamental right which indeed is highly appreciative to prepare our generation to accept the future challenges and act with wisdom instead of blindly following their masters. Prosperity and progress of the common man would come through the efforts of the politicians, the judiciary and now the Parliament. The politicians through the package, have renewed hope of good days. Now the Parliament is their hope and a strong judicial check on the activity of the executive is a channel of relief to them. Now if the political side disappoints the masses, their reliance would be further on judiciary, as such the risk margin is very little. In order to let the system go on smoothly and everyone performs his duties honestly and fairly, a strong, independent, impartial and public service oriented system of accountability is a must, which the observers, hope would also be soon in place to ensure success of the system and the poor.