Thursday, Jun 27, 2002
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By B. Muralidhar Reddy
The NRB, a think-tank on political reforms appointed by the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, today released a document proposing sweeping changes in the Constitution. They confer absolute powers on the institution of the President vis-vis every other institution in the country including the Prime Minister and Parliament. Though the Musharraf Government is committed to go ahead with the proposed changes in the Constitution only after a proper public debate, the perception among political observers and parties is that the military Government is determined to institutionalise the role of Army in governance. Some of the controversial amendments proposed include restoration of the powers of the President for dismissal of the Prime Minister, dissolution of the National and Provincial Assemblies, constitution of a National Security Council dominated by the military and prescription of graduation as minimum qualification to contest in the elections to the National and Provincial assemblies. Mainstream and religious political parties have already questioned the competence of the Government to make any fundamental changes in the Constitution. The opposition and reservations from a cross-section of society in the last few months does not appear to have deterred the Government. The proposal that any person who is convicted by a court on charges of corruption or misuse of office would not be eligible to contest the election is likely to hit Ms. Bhutto and Mr. Sharif. Yet another proposal makes it mandatory on all the political parties to hold internal polls if they have to be eligible for recognition by the Election Commission. Through an ordinance in 2000 the Government had enacted a law under which persons convicted by a court of law were debarred from holding party posts. It was seen as a move aimed at Ms. Bhutto and Mr. Sharif. The Bureau has proposed amendments in 28 Articles of the 1973 Constitution. The Package-I of the document carrying proposals is titled "establishment of sustainable federal democracy.'' People have been asked to give their views by July 31 and the Government has promised elections in October. Article 51 which relates to the number of members in the National Assembly is proposed to be amended, increasing the total number of seats to 357 and lowering the age limit for a voter from 21 to 18 years. Another proposal is to scrap separate seats for minorities in the National Assembly. Article 52 that deals with the tenure of the National Assembly carries a proposal for reducing its term from five to four years. Another Article proposes disqualification of a candidate in case he/she obtained a loan for an amount of two million rupees or more from any financial institution in his own name, spouse or dependant and the same remains unpaid for more than one year from the due date or has got such loan written off. In a sharp reaction to the proposals the Pakistan People's Party said "it is a measure of the arrogant mindset of the generals to seek to superimpose a new constitutional structure through executive fiat, bypassing the established procedure laid down for the constitutional amendments.
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