ABBOTTABAD, July 10: Chief of his own faction of the Pakistan   People’s Party  and former NWFP chief Minister, Aftab Ahmed  Khan  Sherpao has  said the proposed constitutional amendments should  not be focussed only on specific individuals or political parties  as such measures will pollute the whole political environment.

He called for broader national consensus over these amendments so that congenial atmosphere could be crated for holding free and fair  elections  that  would restore the  public  confidence.  

Speaking at a public meeting here on Tuesday on the second day of  his  visit  to Hazara Division, he hailed the people of Hazara for their heroic  role in independence movement and expressed the hope that the  valiant people of this area would also work for stability and defence  of motherland.

He  said the people of Hazara were  politically  conscious and the tension on borders was a matter of serious concern for them. He said Hazara was a backward area, however it  was rich in natural resources and its potentials should be tapped to bring about pleasant changes in the lives of the people.

Later  addressing  party workers and  various  delegations  of Nazims, councillors, lawyers and ladies,  he  said  the Constitution  of 1973 was a consensus document and its true  spirit should be essentially  retained for upholding  the  principles  of federal democracy.

Commenting on political parties order, 2002 and constitutional package, he urged the need for taking all political parties  into confidence  and apprehended that unilateral decision would   affect the general elections. He hoped that all political parties should  be provided opportunity to participate in the polls.  

He lambasted the atrocities being committed against  Pakhtoons in  Afghanistan, saying that the maltreatment meted out  to  them was  a  source  of disappointment  for  Pakistani  Pakhtoons.  He condemned  the  brutal killing of Haji Abdul Qadir,  vice-president of Afghanistan and added that this tragic incident had sent a wave  of shock.

Referring  to the  seven-point agenda unfolded by  Gen Musharraf the former chief minister said the government had failed to  provide  relief to the people specially  to the people of smaller  federating units.  

The  PPP  leader  believed that democracy  was  essential  for political  and economic stability which would strengthen all  state institutions  in accordance with the aspirations of  the  people. Army,  he opined, could not run the state affairs for a long  time  as politicians  had  to  administer  the  government’s  affairs   on permanent   basis.  

He also deplored the past mistakes of politicians saying  that both   the  parties  in  government  and  opposition  could   not positively contribute to the real national issues but they mainly  focused  on holding power for longer time.