RAWALPINDI, Aug 31: The association of retired military personnel has called upon the government to scrap the 17th Amendment and defer the presidential election till it is repealed.

Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Lt-Gen (retd) Ali Quli Khan said a national consensus should be developed on the presidential election process because it was getting controversial.

The postponement of the poll, he said, would not pose any constitutional problem because the Sept 18 deadline for the new election could still be met.

He said the Pakistan Ex-servicemen Association “sees the dark clouds looming over Pakistan’s horizon” and the nation appeared to be in a trauma. As if this was not enough, the manner in which the presidential election was held had engendered additional concerns, he said.

The democratic process initiated on Feb 18 is taking the country towards instability. The economic mismanagement has brought miseries to the people and the military action in Fata and Balochistan has rendered thousands of people homeless.On the other hand, the retired general said, US attacks inside Pakistan continued unabated. “At the same time we continue to receive ‘do more’ sermons. Pakistan today faces a great challenge to its sovereignty and integrity.”

Ex-servicemen feel that the journey towards democracy which began on Feb 18 is in a state of uncertainty. After getting rid of a dictator, mainly through the struggle of lawyers and civil society, the country is once again in the grip of political intrigues, turmoil and manoeuvring.

He said that there appeared to be no national cohesion at a time when the leadership had to cope with serious challenges. Parliament, which should reflect the people’s aspirations and concerns, has been made completely ineffective and irrelevant.

Gen (retd) Quli Khan said that a major source of concern for ex-servicemen was the control of the Nuclear Command Authority since under the 17th amendment the president was its chairman.

“NCA position must be defined as to who has the finger on the button.”

He said the association had constituted a delegation to meet the parliamentary committees on defence and foreign affairs.

About foreign policy, the retired general said it needed a major remodelling brought in line with the wishes of the people. Instead of accepting external dictations, the policy of dialogue should be adopted.

He said that the association was sending a delegation on a conciliatory tour of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas, Swat and Kurram Agency with the objective of ending the military operation and knowing the viewpoints of other parties and in order to find a way to eradicate some of the un-Islamic and immoral practices in the areas. The delegation will also include members of the civil society, he said.