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| September 19, 2003 | Friday | Rajab 21, 1424 |
No contact with govt on package: MMA
LAHORE, Sept 18: The government has not yet contacted the MMA to present its final reply on the constitutional package as the two-day reprieve sought by it at the end of Tuesday’s party heads’ meeting ended on Thursday night.
The alliance says as consultation on all possible aspects of constitutional matters has been completed it is the government’s responsibility to inform it about Gen Pervez Musharraf’s response to the proposed package.
The MMA threatens that it will be left with no option but to launch a mass movement against the government if talks fail because of, what it says, the Gen Musharraf’s stubbornness.
Six-party alliance’s deputy secretary-general Liaquat Baloch said if masses came out on roads, even the army would be unable to safeguard the general’s rule.
He said all opposition parties were unanimous on a one-point agenda that the constitutional amendment bill must be presented before parliament otherwise they would continue their protest — both inside and outside the house.
He said all opposition parties would hold a joint meeting before the National Assembly’s session on Friday to announce their future strategy.
He regretted that the government was using delaying tactics though all issues had been settled.
He said the MMA had agreed to accept the vote of confidence by parliament as a mean to elect Gen Musharraf as the president in response to the government’s assurance that the two offices of army chief and president would be separated before Dec 31, 2004.
He said the president would use his discretionary powers for making appointments after consulting the prime minister, while a committee would be set up to reform the local bodies and police acts as demanded by provinces besides bringing the subjects under sunset provision.
Under the provision, both the subjects would be withdrawn from the 6th schedule of the Constitution within three to five years, he added.
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