ISLAMABAD, April 8: The chief of his own faction of Pakistan Muslim League, Nawaz Sharif, has said the establishment of the National Security Council (NSC) is another "dictatorial onslaught" on the independence of the prime minister
, his cabinet and the supremacy of parliament.
In a statement issued from Jeddah and released by the party's camp office here on Thursday, the PML-N chief called upon political forces to play their role in "frustrating this plot."
The former prime minister, now living in exile in Saudi Arabia, said the military generals had always dreamt of overriding the representatives of people. "All military rulers from Ayub Khan to Pervez Musharraf had cherished this dream, but the collective conscience of the people and their political insight always rejected the idea of generals," he said.
Mr Sharif said the 8th Amendment of 1985, particularly its Article 58-2(B), was one way to carry out the wish of dominating parliament and elected government. That article, introduced under the pretext of saving the country from crisis, proved most destructive for political stability and continuity of democratic process, as four governments fell to this provision within nine years depriving parliamentary democracy of any chance to take roots.
These developments, he said, also caused loss of national prestige at the international level. Mr Sharif pointed out that despite internal conflicts Pakistan's eastern neighbour was able to resolve all its problems due to democratic continuity, and thus gained more credibility and prestige among the world community.
"On the contrary, our military adventurers, always seeking chances to ambush the political system, launched themselves in power with tall claims, and then left the nation embroiled in more problems than created by their predecessors," he added.
He said the representatives of the people had killed that anti-democracy article of the Constitution through the 13th Amendment that was passed with complete unanimity of parliament.
He said the people took a sigh of relief on this democratic accomplishment of his second administration, because such unanimity and national consensus was a rare thing.
The PML-N leader said the 17th Amendment brought in by the "usurper with deception and threats" was an attempt to reverse the wheel of history, because he (Gen Musharraf) had concentrated all powers in his own person that could never be imagined in a parliamentary system. "Not content with that, he has now moved ahead with the so-called NSC," Mr Sharif added.
He said only a genuine parliamentary system based on the supremacy of elected parliament could ensure integrity of a country like Pakistan, but one could not expect any good from the people who "dismembered" the country and "sold out vital national interests in their lust for power."
