ISLAMABAD, April 10: Minister of State for Law, Justice and Human Rights Raza Hayat Harraj said on Saturday that President Gen Pervez Musharraf was bound by the 17th Constitutional Amendment to shed his army chief's uniform by Dec 31 , when the Article separating the two public offices would become operative.

Earlier, the law minister's party colleagues, Senior Federal Minister and Minister for Defence Rao Sikandar Iqbal and Interior Minister Faisal Saleh Hayat from the PPP-Patriot had stated that they would request the president not to shed his uniform by Dec 31, 2004, as according to them it would lead to instability in the country.

Speaking at a news conference, at his office the Minister of State for Law said the Article 68(2) concerning separation of two public offices would become operative on Dec 31 in accordance with the 17th Amendment passed early this year and, after that that Gen Musharraf would be constitutionally bound to leave one of the two offices he held at present.

Replying to a question about return of Mr Shahbaz return, the minister said Mr Shahbaz was free to come back but he would have to face the law of the land when he returned. He said he was unaware of any law which allowed deportation of any citizen abroad.

He said a proposal to induct the defence minister, minister of finance, minister of foreign affairs and interior minister as members of the NSC was under consideration of the government and it would be submitted for the cabinet's approval.

He said the National Security Council would remain an advisory body and would neither harm nor interfere in the affairs of the country as was being feared by the Opposition.

He said that in the presence of 58(2)b the NSC had nothing to do with the act of dissolution of the assemblies.

Mr Harraj said the institution of the NSC existed in the US, India, Russia and Turkey. He said the NSC would not discuss political affairs but would confine itself to matters pertaining to national integrity, defence, sovereignty and security.

The NSC, he said, would only deliberate and prepare proposals in times of national crisis which would also be subject to approval of the National Assembly after the passage of MQM's amendment before its implementation.

The minister said the fears of the Opposition that the NSC would harm democratic institutions were baseless. The president as chairman of the council would alone be empowered to summon its meetings while rules for its functions were still being framed.

Responding to a question whether the NSC would also discuss matters relating to the inter-provincial harmony and democratic stability, the minister said: "We prepared more than one draft for the cabinet which rejected inclusion of these subjects in the purview of the council."

He said the NSC formation had been under discussion for the last 10 years and it had to be established to give the country the much-needed political stability.

He said that from 1988 beyond all democratic governments were dismissed/removed on the pressure of politicians who had been welcoming the takeover by the army.