ISLAMABAD, July 15: President General Pervez Musharraf emphasized once again on Monday that all the proposed amendments in the constitutional package are open to discussion and debate.

“We are open and flexible. I would be guided by the wisdom and counsel of all segments of society,” he told constitutional experts and intellectuals who met him to discuss the proposed amendments here.

President Musharraf said there are areas which need review, and those areas will definitely be reviewed.

The president said, after the consultation process, the National Security Council and the Cabinet will sit in a joint session to finalize the proposed amendments.

General Musharraf reiterated his and his government’s commitment to hold absolutely free and fair elections in October and welcomed international observers to monitor the polls.

The constitutional experts and intellectuals described their meeting with the president as “very open-minded and positive”.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Justice (retd) Javed Iqbal, said comprehensive discussions were held on the powers of the president, prime minister, parliament, and the National Security Council in the light of the proposed amendments.

Eminent lawyer, Sardar Muhammad Iqbal Mokil, said they had a very “useful” meeting with the president.

Lt-Gen (retd) Syed Rifaqat Ali termed the meeting very successful. The president, he said, was very focussed on giving and listening to various opinions on the issues of national importance.

Gen Rifaqat dispelled the impression that the president was predisposed towards the proposed amendments. “He is very flexible and wanted to finalize the amendments in a way that can serve the nation in the best way,” he added.

President Musharraf, he said, stressed time and again that he did not want to change the structure of the Constitution and the parliamentary form of the government.

Constitutional expert and former law minister, Abdul Hafeez Pirzada, said he supported amendments which he favoured and expressed his views on the others.—APP