KARACHI, Aug 28: The Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) feels that Pakistan is facing ‘a Constitutional crisis’ and warns that if the parliament is dissolved, there will be chaos in the country which will benefit only the enemies of Pakistan for which Gen Musharraf has to bear the consequences.

This has been stated by Allama Shah Ahmed Noorani, President of the MMA in an interview with PPI on Thursday.

“If the parliament is dissolved, it will be a no-confidence in the PML-Q as it is the majority party in the House,” he remarked and said: “I don’t think Gen Musharraf will dissolve the parliament.”

Maulana Noorani pointed out: “A dangerous situation is developing on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan where the US troops are deployed. Our western border is not safe now. Our peaceful countrymen in the tribal areas feel insecure due to the presence of American troops across the border. At least 70,000 Pakistani troops and 40,000 paramilitary force personnel are deployed on the border with Afghanistan (majority of them in the NWFP and some in Chaman, Balochistan).

“On the eastern border, Indian troops are deployed along the international border and 700,000 Indian soldiers along the Line of Control. In view of this dangerous situation, the nation needs a full time army chief. That is why we (MMA) will support Gen Musharraf in getting himself elected as President in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution. A full time army chief should be appointed.”

The Maulana reiterated that Legal Framework Order was not part of the Constitution.

The Oct 10, 2002 general elections were held under the schedule announced by the Election Commission on Aug 16, 2002, whereas the LFO was introduced on Aug 21, 2002, he argued.

He further contended that the National Assembly members had taken oath under the 1973 Constitution and not under the LFO. This was also confirmed by the then presiding officer of the National Assembly, Ilahi Bux Soomro. The amended Constitution with LFO was published on Oct 29, 2002 and delivered to the MNAs in the House late in November 2002, he added.

The MMA chief pointed out that efforts were now on for an agreement between the government and MMA on ‘controversial points of the LFO. A constitutional package is in the process of preparation with the points already agreed upon between the two sides, he revealed.

“We are hopeful about success of the negotiations. The heads of parties constituting the MMA will meet in Islamabad on Sept 1 to review the results of the dialogue with the government.”

Maulana Noorani said that over the last 10 months, MMA had been trying to solve all issues with consensus in the parliament and had refrained from a confrontation. “We held several rounds of talks with the government. However, amendments to the LFO, as demanded by the MMA, cannot be made by Prime Minister Zafarullah Jamali, but General Musharraf,” he maintained.

Through the LFO, Gen Musharraf made amendments to 29 articles and 59 clauses of the 1973 Constitution, he said, adding that on 22 articles, an agreement had been reached between the government and MMA whereas efforts were under way to sort out the rest.

Maulana Noorani said the alliance was striving for the supremacy of parliament and it believed that any amendment to the Constitution should be made on the basis of two-third majority in the House.—PPI