Recommendations on NSC completed: LFO deliberations to resume on Friday
By Ahmed Hassan
ISLAMABAD May 13: The government-opposition constitutional committee on Tuesday completed its recommendations on Articles 58(2)B and 41(7) concerning the National Security Council (NSC) and the appointment and superannuation age of Supreme Court and high court judges.
The committee, which met with Speaker Chaudhry Amir Hussain in the chair, decided to meet again on Friday morning by giving the members two days recess including Eid Miladun Nabi falling on Thursday.
Late on Monday, committee members had expressed the hope that they would complete recommendations on a constitutional package by May 14.
While a consensus has emerged on proposing to Gen Musharraf to relinquish charge as COAS latest by August 14, the government side has insisted on leaving the matter to the president who has himself realized that the two offices should not be combined in one person.
Talking to this reporter on Tuesday, the deputy parliamentary leader of the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, said the some of the constitutional recommendations would be in writing while some others would be conveyed to the respective party heads by members for consideration at their summit meeting.
Mr Hussain Ahmed said: “Basically the committee is working on striking a balance of power between the president and the prime minister which was disturbed by successive governments.”
He said the PPP and the PML-N were opposed to the MMA suggestion that the president should be allowed “reasonable” time to decide on choosing between the two offices. Reason, however, prevailed when the two parties were told that a safe passage had to be provided by giving validity to Gen Musharraf in the larger interests of the democracy.
Another breakthrough in the talks, Mr Hussain Ahmed said, was that the two sides agreed on the principle that the proposed National Security Council, instead of becoming part of the constitution, should come through an act of parliament. By conceding that principle, he said, the NSC would come under the preview of parliament which would fix its life span as well as determine its composition.
Similarly, agreement on the principle that the president should not have power to dissolve the assembly, but dismiss only the cabinet and prime minister parliament would also be an achievement.
According to Hafiz Hussain Ahmed the president’s constitutional position would also be explained and a proposal will be given for him to get himself elected through the constitutional method.
Earlier, briefing reporters at the end of Thursday’s meeting, Chaudhry Aitizaz Ahsan and Riaz Pirzada said the constitutional package to be prepared by the committee would be a consensus document subject to the final approval of the prime minister and the heads of the government and opposition parliamentary parties.
They said apart from the seven contentious points earlier identified, some more points may also be raised by the members of the committee and incorporated in its recommendations.
They admitted that there was a difference of opinion persisting among members on the extension of tenure of superior court judges as the government had its own stand.
“A joint press release issued by the committee said: “The Government-opposition parties constitutional negotiating committee met at parliament house at 10.30am. The government side was represented at the committee by Sen S.M.Zafar, MNAs Sher Afgan Niazi, Riaz Hussain Pirzada, Syed Safwanullah and sen Abdul Razzak Thaheem while Liaqat Baloch, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Chaudhry Aitizaz Ahsan and Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan MNAs and sen Sardar Mohammad Latif Khosa attended from the opposition side.
“The negotiating committee meeting lasted for about four hours. In today’s sitting the members of the committee prepared proposals on Articles 58(2)B, 41(7) concerning National Security Council, and appointment and extension in retirement age of supreme court and high courts judges.
“It is expected that the constitutional committee will be able to finalise all the recommendations by May 16 when it will meet again.
“The negotiating committee will be held at 10 a.m. on May 16. The members of the committee will seek final guidance form their respective party leaders and in this period Eid Milad activities will also be covered”.
