ISLAMABAD, April 7: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has defended its decision to support the National Security Council (NSC) bill in the National Assembly saying it is aimed at maintaining the supremacy of Parliament.

Talking to a group of newsmen after the adjournment of the House here on Wednesday evening, the parliamentary leader of the MQM, Dr Farooq Sattar, said that his party had expressed its reservations on the original draft of the NSC bill.

However, Dr Sattar said, the ruling party conceded to the MQM's demand and agreed to incorporate its amendment. He said the amendment moved by them showed that the MQM was a true political and ideological party of the people. Federal Minister for Housing Safwanullah, MNAs Kanwar Khalid Younus, Nawab Mirza, Amir Liaquat Hussain and other MQM members were also present on the occasion.

Dr Sattar said the amendment had been moved to further curtail the powers of the NSC in order to keep Parliament a sovereign and supreme body. He said the NSC would be bound to send any plan for implementation on any proposal to the National Assembly or the Senate. Moreover, he said, with the words "appropriate action", Parliament would be able to take decision on its own and the NSC decision would not be binding on it.

He claimed that the MQM had actually put a check on the NSC so that it could not take decisions on its own and remained a consultative body. Giving justification for supporting the NSC formation, he said the MQM believed that the council would serve as a safety valve to check martial laws in the country.

He said the opposition alleged that through the NSC bill, the government was legitimizing the role of military in the government. But in his opinion the NSC would do exactly the opposite as through it the civilians would get a role in the matters of national security which was the exclusive domain of the defence forces.