KARACHI, May 23: The Pakistan People’s Party Parliamentarians is opposed to submission of any report on the constitutional committee’s deliberations on the LFO by the National Assembly speaker on his own, particularly when the report was not seen and approved by the committee.

Describing government views on the seven most contentious points as “vague”, the party maintains that the only report to be submitted will be sent to the body comprising all the heads of parties and presided over by the prime minister, said the PPP sources.

It is the PPP’s contention that this report must be prepared and approved by the committee itself, even if it is based on different proposals by different components of the committee.

The PPP, according to sources, has put forward its own proposals to overcome the present constitutional crisis. These proposals have been formulated in consultation with Ms Benazir Bhutto, said the sources.

On the controversy over Gen Musharraf’s uniform, the PPP, according to the sources, maintains that the government had not proposed any specific date for it. It proposes that any person seeking election to the office of president “shall be subject to the qualifications, disqualifications and the procedure of election as prescribed under Article 41 of the constitution, as amended by Acts of parliament”.

On giving sweeping powers to the president under 58 (2) (b), the PPP has proposed complete repeal of the clause.

For the PPP, the sources said, NSC is unnecessary as it will amount to intervention by an extra-parliamentary force in the preserves of parliament. The proposition that the NSC be relegated from a constitutional to a sub-constitutional body is also unacceptable. It is of the view that the defence committee of the cabinet presided by the prime minister is enough.

In fact the PPP is opposed to all discretionary powers whether they pertain to 58(2) (b) or Article 112 (2) (b) which relates to the corresponding power of governors. It is also opposed to powers obtained under Article 59 (b) and (c) for the election of senators from FATA and the federal capital area.

According to the sources, the PPP is also against the powers sought by the president under Article 71 (4) to formulate rules for the mediation committee of the house, in consultation with the speaker and the Senate chairman.

It is opposed to powers sought under Article 101 (1) through which prime minister’s advice is not required for the appointment of governor.

It is against the discretionary powers vested in the President to appoint caretaker setup, appointment of chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee and services chiefs as envisaged in Article 243 (3).

The PPP contends, moreover, that Article 268 (2), which says that the laws specified in the Sixth Schedule shall not be altered, repealed or amended without the previous sanction of the president, is unjust. Since local government laws have also been included in the schedule, it impinges on provincial autonomy. It also believes that the LGO infringes upon federalism.

The PPP also wants the condition of graduation to be done away with together with the ban on holding the office of prime minister after two terms.

It proposes that elections to the Senate should be from the list provided by each party, on the basis of the vote obtained in each assembly.