December 25, 2003	Thursday	Ziqa’ad 1, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, Dec 24: The Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy on Wednesday rejected the agreement signed between the government and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal, vowing to continue its struggle for the supremacy of the constitution.

Talking to Dawn at the Parliament House, parliamentary leader of the People’s Party Parliamentarians in the Senate, Mian Raza Rabbani, said the draft constitutional package would push the country towards “one-unit” system.

He said the ARD would oppose the package inside and outside parliament as the LFO, after becoming part of the Constitution, would cause further political instability.

He said by linking action under the proposed constitutional Article 58-2(B) with a reference to the Supreme Court, the chief justice of Pakistan had also been made part of the power equation, adding it would definitely hit the judiciary’s independence.

The PPP senator said the concept of vote of confidence for the president was alien to the constitution. He said the ARD would not support the LFO as it was against the basic structure of the constitution. Similarly, he said, the establishment of the National Security Council would give the military a permanent political role.

Later, speaking at a news conference, the acting parliamentary leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N in the National Assembly, Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan, said after the signing of the agreement, the MMA was not a part of the combined opposition.

He said the decision to present the LFO before parliament had vindicated ARD’s position. Terming it a victory for opposition parties, he said the government had taken a “360-degree turn” on its stand, adding “our position” had become awkward after the MMA joined hands with the government.

The PML-N leader, flanked by senator Ishaq Dar and the party’s information secretary Mohammad Siddiqul Farooq, said he would not complain about the MMA’s breach of its promise regarding taking the ARD into confidence before finalizing any deal.

He said the ARD would constitute a parliamentary committee to review the constitutional package.