The Hindu : Pak. parties reject Govt. proposals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jun 28, 2002

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International

Pak. parties reject Govt. proposals

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD JUNE 27. All the mainstream and religious parties have rejected the Musharraf Government's proposed amendments to the 1973 Constitution as ``unconstitutional'' and beyond the scope allowed by the Pakistan Supreme Court.

The reactions of the parties, including some which empathise with the Pakistan President, Pervez Musharraf, suggest that the amendments would seriously undermine the parliamentary system of democracy and confer all the powers on the office of the President.

The Government on Wednesday released a document prepared by the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRP) outlining the various amendments proposed to the now suspended 1973 Constitution, for `public debate'.

Political parties and people have been asked to send in their views by July 31 as the military establishment intends adopting the changes before the October general elections to the National and Provincial Governments.

As per the 1973 Constitution, only Parliament is competent to make amendments. Political parties and even independent observers have not only been questioning the competence of the Musharraf Government but are also wondering why the military establishment is in such a hurry to amend the Constitution.

They argue that the task should be left to the new Parliament. But, Gen. Musharraf has contended that he would not like to leave it to the future political set-up, given the past experience.

It is not clear from the document on the proposed amendments if Gen. Musharraf would seek the new National Assembly's endorsement. The document is also silent on whether he would seek the endorsement of his position as President from the new political set-up.

The reactions of most political leaders and experts are on similar lines. The former Minister and constitutional expert, Aitezaz Ahsan, feels that the Government package is totally unconstitutional and violative of the Supreme Court's decision in the Zafar Ali Shah Case.

In the Shah case, the Pakistan Supreme Court upheld the military coup of October 1999 invoking the `doctrine of necessity' and opined that Gen. Musharraf could effect amendments to the Constitution without affecting its salient features.

The president of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf and former cricketer, Imran Khan, has said that the provision giving the President the power to appoint the Governors, who in turn, would pick up the Chief Minister from within the provincial Houses, was not acceptable.

The amendment amounts to undermining the autonomy of the provinces and it would only add to the friction among the provinces.

It will also disturb the power-sharing equation between the federation and the provinces, he feels.

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