October 17, 2002	Thursday	Sha'aban 10, 1423

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ISLAMABAD, Oct 16: President People’s Party Parliamentarian (PPP) Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Wednesday said that all the constitutional amendments including the one concerning the National Security Council would have to be ratified by the parliament.

“The parliament is a sovereign institution and all the constitutional amendments will have to go through it,” Makhdoom Fahim told reporters here at the residence of an independent MNA-elect Faiz Taman.

Mr Fahim also called for the restoration of the Constitution adding that the oath should be administered to the members under the Constitution.

The PPP president stressed that in the given situation every player including the military should demonstrate flexibility for successful transition towards a democractic order in the country.

He said they were trying to form the government with the support of all major players in the National Assembly.

He said they were striving for a government of national consensus, drawing representation of other parties sharing the split mandate.

Mr Fahim who on Wednesday held meetings with chief of Jamiat Ulma-i-Pakistan (JUP) Maulana Shah Ahmed Noorani and chief of Tehrik-i-Insaf Imran Khan.

“I have not completed the first round of meetings,” he said adding that he was expected to meet leaders of Pakistan Muslim League(Q).

Replying to a question about the PPP’s past differences and acrimonies with the leaders of the PML(Q), he recalled that on his return from London last week he had stated that he had come with an open mind.

“We have to move forward keeping in view the ground realities,” he said exhorting that all the political parties would have to rise above their past differences.

When asked whether he had the mandate from the party’s life chairperson Benazir Bhutto, he said, he had 100 per cent support of the party chairperson.

Regarding the party eagerness to form government, he said, the party had remained out of power for a long time and the party workers had suffered a lot.

He said they wanted to assume the power to serve the workers and the masses.