HYDERABAD, June 28: Leaders of different political parties and lawyers have rejected the proposed constitutional amendments, a package floated by the government to seek public opinion.

In separate interviews with Dawn on Friday, they held that only elected representatives had the right to amend the constitution.

Allah Bux Magsi, the district chief of PML-N, strongly opposed the package and accused President Musharraf of intending to establish his kingdom as these amendments negated the very norms of democracy. “It seems that the president is not serious in holding general elections,” he remarked.

Hina Jillani, the Secretary General of Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, stressed upon the need for a debate only among elected members of parliament to carry out any amendment to the constitution. She described the mandatory condition of party elections as ‘interference in the affairs of political parties.’

Kanwar Khalid Yunus, a former MNA and a member of the Coordination Committee of Mutahidda Qaumi Movement, said that the government’s move was under study. He said that his party had constituted a committee, headed by Shoaib Bukhari, to go through the details of the package as well as the Political Parties Order-2002.

He said that the committee would give its opinion shortly.

Qamoos Gul Khattak, the provincial chief of Awami National Party, has said that the constitution is a consensus document and no one, except for parliamentarians, had the right to amend it or propose an amendment.

About party elections, he said ANP holds party polls every year. He said people could hold their representatives accountable and democracy itself could hold politicians accountable if it did not derail.

Dr Arif Alvi, Vice President of Tehrik-i-Insaaf, termed the package ‘one-sided’ and said that proposed national security council would influence prime minister and that it did not have a balanced representation. He suggested that the chief justice of the apex court should be one of the important members of the council.

He also welcomed the PPO-2002 saying there was no harm if political parties held elections regularly and maintained their accounts.

Rasool Bux Palijo, chief of the Awami Tehrik, declined to give his opinion before going through the details of the package.

Yousuf Leghari, chief of the Sindh Democratic Party and a senior member of the Pakistan Bar Council, was of the view that the amendments would ultimately lead to a powerful centre which was not acceptable to Sindh. He pointed out that the parliamentary form of government would be transformed into unitary form.

He welcomed some parts of the PPO-2002 but did not support the condition of graduation for candidates saying that 85 per cent of population was not literate.

Qurban Ali Chohan, a former advocate general, Sindh, said that the package was against the parliamentary form of government which was badly affected during Gen Zia’s regime when he armed himself with article 58(2)b to dismiss governments and dissolve parliaments.

Dr Qadir Magsi, Chairman of the Sindh Taraqqi Passand Party and the provincial chief of Ponam, termed the package ‘undemocratic and unconstitutional’ and said it was an attempt to impose dictatorship. “Nowhere in the world constitution is as frequently violated as in Pakistan,” he said adding that military rulers always introduced amendments to prolong their rule.

He pointed out that it was quite unfortunate that the constitution had neither been implemented in its true letter and spirit nor abolished.

He expressed fear that the amendments, if made, would lead to presidential rule making the premier and the elected government dependent on president.

Dr Magsi also opposed the idea of setting up a national security council. He said that all the federating units should enjoy equal rights.

Jam Saqi, Zahid Bhurgari and other PPP leaders severely criticized the amendments and said that Gen Musharraf had no right to introduce any amendment to the constitution.

They alleged that the president had come out with the amendment package after having suffered a defeat in referendum.