Islamabad, Sep 3 - Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has agreed to transfer his powers relating to the appointment of the service chiefs, the chairman of joint chiefs of staff committee and governors to the prime minister. He has informed a parliamentary committee on constitutional reforms about this, Online news agency reported Thursday.

This would be done by repealing the 17th constitutional amendment that former president Pervez Musharraf had pushed through in 2002 transferring the powers to the presidency from the prime minister's office.

The move could pave the way for the return of the opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to the ruling federal coalition.

Quoting sources, Online said Zardari had summoned Raza Rabbani, chairman of parliament's constitutional reforms committee, and asked him to work freely and vest with the president only those powers that were laid down in the constitution as it existed in 1973.

The president has also agreed to make appointments of the auditor general of Pakistan, the chief election commissioner and other positions as provided in the constitution only on the advice of the prime minister.

Sources close to Zardari said some federal ministers and other close associates, during

meetings of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) in Karachi and Islamabad, had cautioned him against surrendering his powers all at once as this would make him weaker.