KARACHI, June 28: Almost all leading political parties on Friday unanimously rejected the proposed package of amendments to the Constitution.

They termed proposed constitutional amendments injurious to democratic system, saying it would create complexities for the next political government.

Jamaat-i-Islami chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed, who is in Karachi on his official tour, rejected the amendments when asked by this correspondent here, saying “we will not accept any decision in violation of the Constitution”

He expressed fear that the proposed amendments would pave the way for dictatorship in the country as the whole parliamentary system would remain at the mercy of one person.

He said the government had no right to bring amendments to the Constitution and viewed that immediate holding of general elections was the only way to steer the country out of the crises.

PPP’s acting secretary general Raza Rabbani criticised the proposed constitutional amendments and said it would have long-term harmful effects for the country.

He asserted that all such amendments were aimed to block ways of liberal and progressive political parties from coming to power. He, however, added that all of government’s exercise to harm PPP would prove fruitless.

JUI chief Maulana Fazalur Rehman was critical of proposed addition in articles of the Constitution and termed them “unjustified”.

He said that the amendments would never allow next political governments to work freely.

Senior Vice President of Pakistan Muslim League, Mian Ejaz Shafi, also voiced concern over the proposed amendments to the Constitution and said the government lacked authority to do so.

Rejecting the amendments, he said right to bring change to the Constitution rests with only elected parliament and asked how a person can do so on behalf of some 140 million people of Pakistan.

He said that proposed amendments are aimed at providing maximum powers to president which would ultimately lead to election of a powerless prime minister who would remain at the mercy of the president.

PML-QA Sindh President Ghous Bux Meher said although amendments are necessary to strengthen political system, it will have to be approved by the parliament.

He added that party chief Mian Azhar has called a high-level party meeting in Islamabad on July 3 to discuss these proposed amendments.

He said they are not against National Security Council, but the parliament and the cabinet should remain supreme authority of the country.

Earlier, Chairperson PPP Benazir Bhutto while addressing party candidates also refused to accept the proposed constitutional amendments and stated that such acts can never force her from coming back to Pakistan.—PPI