ISLAMABAD, July 7: The Pakistan Muslim League (N) and Pakistan People’s Party have denounced the government decree preventing anyone who has held the office of the prime minister or chief minister of a province twice from contesting for another term.

Both the parties were unanimous in their opposition to the order issued by President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday, which according to political observers, specifically targeted former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto.

The Central Executive Committee of the PPP in its meeting on Sunday reiterated that notwithstanding the SC judgment, no individual or a group of individuals could arrogate unto themselves the right to amend or alter the Constitution.

The CEC meeting was held at the party’s central secretariat and presided over by PPP Vice-Chairman Makhdoom Amin Fahim.

The meeting outrightly rejected the Qualification to Hold Public Offices Order, 2002, and resolved that the order was mala fide and specific to eliminate the PPP leadership from holding the office of prime minister.

“This is a crude attempt to subvert the will of the people of Pakistan and is dismissed with the contempt that it deserves,” it said.

“The order is violative of the Constitution and the fundamental rights of the individual seeking such an office, as also it denies the people of Pakistan from choosing an individual. It is a negation of the parliamentary form of government where the leader of the majority party is called upon to become the prime minister.”

“Attempts have been made in the past by the establishment along with reactionary vested interests to subvert the will of the people by either physically eliminating their leadership, like the removal of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto or now this unconstitutional order to deprive Benazir Bhutto from assuming the office of prime minister,” the CEC said.

“Today the PPP pledges and commits to the people of Pakistan that it is steadfast under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto and when in October 2002 the masses will repose

their confidence in the Pakistan People’s Party it will make Benazir Bhutto the prime minister for the third term,” it added.

The meeting also passed resolutions which said: “Any amendment to the Constitution can only be made by the procedure provided under Article 238 and 239 of the 1973 Constitution.”

The meeting further noted that any attempt to amend or alter the Constitution through any other presidential order, ordinance or executive fiat would bring the federation under grave severe strain while opening a pandora’s box.

MUSLIM LEAGUE: A leader PML(N), Syed Zafar Ali Shah, said the party may challenge the president’s decree in the Supreme Court, adds AFP.