LAHORE, June 28: The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has described the ‘sweeping changes’ proposed in the constitution a few months ahead of the general elections as a deliberate plan to wrest power away from the elected representatives.

HRCP Chairman Afrasiab Khattak and Secretary-General Hina Jilani said in a statement that the proposed constitutional changes would have a lasting impact on the governance in the country and alter the parliamentary system presently in place in the country under the 1973 Constitution.

They were of the view that some of the proposals were an apparent attack on the federal system and exerted a still greater strain on national unity.

It was essential that the amendments be made only after a debate in the elected parliament for a proper assessment regarding the possible impact and the desirability of the same.

They were also critical of the condition imposed on the political parties to hold the elections of their office-bearers by August and described it as an attempt to tamper with the affairs of the political parties.

They were of the view that such matters should be left to be determined by the parties, their workers and supporters.

They were of the view that a military dictator who had come into power in violation of the constitution had taken upon himself to alter the document drastically beyond recognition.

They said that the task of proposing constitutional amendments whenever necessary must rest with the elected representatives and not with bodies like the National Reconstruction Bureau.

They said that the tendency to alter the constitution to suit the whims of individuals had already caused immense damage in the past and greatly lessened the respect for the document.

The mistakes must not be repeated and the task of making constitutional amendments must be put aside until an elected parliament was voted in and the merits and demerits of such alterations were debated by it, they said.