08 September 2004	Wednesday	22 Rajab 1425

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ISLAMABAD Sept 7: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal has submitted an adjournment motion seeking a debate on a recent resolution passed by the Punjab chapter of the Pakistan Muslim League and the statement of the Punjab chief minister urging the president to keep the office of chief of army staff for five more years.

The adjournment motion, submitted in the National Assembly secretariat, has been signed by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal's president Qazi Hussain Ahmed, secretary-general Maulana Fazlur Rahman, MNAs Liaqat Baloch, Hafiz Hussain Ahmed, Mian Mohammad Aslam, Mohammad Hussain Mehnati, Fareed Paracha, Asadullah Bhutto, Dr Ataur Rahman and Sahibzada Haroonur Rashid.

It termed the demand of the Punjab chief minister and some other federal ministers tantamount to rebellion against the constitution and insulting parliament. Referring to an earlier settlement, the motion said that such statements by important government functionaries were disturbing the country's political atmosphere, adding that the issue of president's COAS uniform was settled under Article 63(1)D of 17th Amendment, which "clearly lays down that president will have to relinquish one of the two offices he possesses before Dec 31, 2004."

The president, it noted, had declared in a televised speech aired on Dec 24, 2003 that he would leave the COAS' office before December 2004. It said that these statements would pave the way for extra constitutional steps and were a source of grave concern among the masses which need to be discussed by parliament by setting aside the normal proceedings of the house.