ISLAMABAD: Senior PML-N leader Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said on Sunday his party had "subdued" expectations from the new president of Pakistan, Asif Ali Zardari, in the light of the track record of the last six months.

"But we wish Zardari the best because he was elected democratically and we accept him as such," the PML-N leader told The News.Meanwhile, PML-N lawmakers will meet Speaker Dr Fehmida Mirza on Monday to formally hand over their written request to her that Chaudhry Nisar should be declared as the leader of the opposition. Nawaz Sharif and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif have decided to name Nisar as their opposition leader. Their party will sit on the opposition benches in the National Assembly as well as the Senate.

Nisar said that the PML-N strongly believed that the new president's political honeymoon, if any, would be very short-lived and the burden of expectations and the responsibilities from his political allies, his foreign friends and the people of Pakistan would be astronomical.

The PML-N leader said it remained to be seen whether Zardari, for all his articulation and capacity to wheel and deal, would be able to handle a plethora of monumental problems, which confronted him and the nation.

He said that on its part, the PML-N would extend to Zardari its cooperation so that it could move forward without constantly looking over his shoulder.Meanwhile, Nawaz Sharif, accompanied by top leaders of his PML-N, would meet Zardari on Monday to congratulate him on his election as the president. He would inform him that he would not be able to attend his oath-taking ceremony because he was leaving for London on Tuesday in connection with his wifeís medical examination.

However, a representative delegation of the PML-N would attend Zardari's swearing-in function. Zardari had invited Nawaz Sharif to his oath-taking ceremony when the latter had phoned him on Saturday after his election as the president.

Chaudhry Nisar said that the implementation of just one sentence ñ make parliament all powerful as per the 1973 Constitution and the Charter of Democracy ñ could change the whole scenario for Zardari. "He has nothing to lose but will gain a lot if he undoes the 17th Amendment and other negative steps taken by Pervez Musharraf, restores the independence of the judiciary, and reinstates all the deposed judges instead of pick and choose," the PML-N leader said, adding all the accords signed by Zardari and Nawaz Sharif on Aug 7 and before would thus stand implemented.

Chaudhry Nisar said those measures would give a big boost to Zardari as president, and on the basis of a general consensus and political support he could move ahead to tackle problems like terrorism.

At present, Chaudhry Pervez Elahi is the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly because his parliamentary group has been the largest (51 MNAs), sitting on the opposition benches of the lower house of parliament. Its strength was extremely diluted due to the massive defections in Saturday's presidential election.

However, the PML-N stakes its claim to have the office of the opposition leader for having 91 MNAs after it parted ways with the ruling coalition. The two Leagues will be acting as separate opposition groups in the National Assembly till the time they merge or decide to cooperate across the board or on issue-to-issue basis.