QUETTA, Aug 22: The senior deputy chairman Pakhtoonkhwa Milli Awami Party, Abdur Rahim Mandokhel, rejected the constitutional amendments announced by President Musharraf on Wednesday and described it a permanent form of Martial Law in the country.

Giving reaction over the amendments here on Wednesday, he said that the PMAP had already expressed its apprehension regarding military government’s designs regarding imposing permanent military rule in the country.

“We are continuously saying, the present government wanted to impose a permanent martial law in the country and it was proved today true when President Musharraf announced constitutional amendments,” Mr Mandokhel said adding that the government has now imposed a military constitution in the country.

The PMAP leader strongly opposed the formation of Security Council and said that it will be a permanent hanging sword over the head of an elected government and parliament.

“There is no need of National Security Council. The parliament itself could play the role of NSC,” he added. He said that his party would not accept these illegal constitutional amendments and would resist them. He urged upon all the political parties to get united and resist these amendments with full force.

He said that through these amendments military generals would remain involved in the affairs of the civil government. He appealed to all political parties and civil society organizations to take serious notice of these constitutional amendments and evolve a joint strategy for launching struggle against it.

Secretary Gen Awami National Party Dr Inayatullah said that the supreme court should review the constitutional amendments announced by the President Musharraf.

Sardar Sanaullah Zehri chief of newly formed Balochistan National Democratic Party said that the president has no power to amend the constitution as only an elected parliament could do it. He said that now it depends on the new parliament that would it approve these amendments or reject it.

The secretary general of Jamhoori Watan Party Mr. Khuda-i-Noor while committing on the amendments said that people of the country and political parties had already rejected all such amendments proposed or announced by General Musharraf.

He said that on one side he was claiming to restore democracy in the country while on the other hand he announced that he would remain President and Chief of Army Staff for five years.

The Secretary General of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri also rejected the amendments and said that Supreme Court of Pakistan has no power to authorize any person or General to make any amendment in the constitution. He said that General Musharraf should have to present all these amendments before the elected parliament but he ignored all rules and regulations and made amendments by himself.

The president of Balochistan National Party, Sardar Akhtar Mengal, while rejecting the amendments said that all political parties should shun their differences and get united for launching a joint struggle against these amendments.

He suggested that all political parties should boycott the coming general elections as protest against these illegal constitutional amendments. He said that the new parliament would be just a rubber stamp, as all powers would be with the president.

Jamal Khan Jogezai central leader of Pakistan People’s Party has also rejected the constitutional amendments and said that president has no powers to take such important decisions which could only take an elected parliament.

He demanded that Gen Musharraf should conduct free and fare elections and should hand over the government to the elected representatives of the people.

The provincial president PML(Q) Balochistan, Jam Mohammed Yousaf, however, welcomed the constitutional amendments announced by the president and said that it would necessary in the larger interest of nation and promotion of democracy in the country.

Committing on the amendments he lauded the minimum required amendments in the constitution and said that President Musharraf by restoring article 58 (2-B) had blocked the way of martial law and in future if the circumstances went worse, president could dissolve the assembly.

He also welcomed the amendment authorizing the president for appointing chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff committee and services chiefs and said it would create balance of power between president and prime minister.

Regarding the constitution of National Security Council, the PML-QA Balochistan, Jam Yousaf said it would play a role of a bridge between the president and the parliament and termed it beneficial for a better democracy in the country.