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Constitutional status for Accountability Bureaus

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD July 14. As the political parties and civil society of Pakistan reel under the shock of the controversial package of proposed amendments to the Constitution, the Musharraf regime today unveiled what was called the `second instalment' of the package.

Among the proposals in the `second instalment' include disqualification of any member of a party who defies the party whip or disassociates from it; constitutional status to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with powers to the Government to appoint Accountability Courts for speedy trial of political leaders and bureaucrats facing corruption charges and constitutional cover to the local bodies system.

The first instalment of the package, unveiled two weeks ago for public debate, has triggered an adverse reaction from virtually the entire political class and the intelligentsia. It is perceived as heavily loaded in favour of the office of the President and seen as a package that reverses the parliamentary form of democracy.

There is little doubt that the controversial proposals outlined in the second instalment would be rejected by parties as `unconstitutional'. The provinces would also resent constitutional cover to the local bodies as the elected members to the national assemblies are bound to see the local bodies as a rival power centre.

The local bodies system is the creation of the Musharraf regime. Under the new system introduced by the military Government partyless elections were held to the local bodies and an institution of Nazims (equivalent to Zilla Parishad chiefs in India) was created.

The Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, banked entirely on the Nazims and the representatives of local bodies in his countrywide campaign for the controversial presidential referendum. In fact, at several places the representatives of local bodies had represented to him to ensure their continuity by giving them constitutional protection.The proposal for according constitutional status to the controversial NAB and the authority to the Government to constitute Accountability Courts would not go well with the political parties.

The NAB is a creation of the Musharraf regime to bring to book all the political leaders and bureaucrats who had abused their office during the Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto regimes.

Several political leaders have accused the NAB of being vindictive and selective in persecution of opponents of the Musharraf regime.

A number of leading lights of the two main parties — the Pakistan People's Party and the Pakistan Muslim League — have been charged with corruption and misuse of office by the bureau.

The proposal on floor-crossing said that any member of the parliamentary party could be disqualified and would cease to be a member of his party if he dissociates himself from the party and even votes contrary to any direction of his party.

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