ISLAMABAD, Oct 10: President Gen Pervez Musharraf promulgated on Wednesday night the Legal Framework (amendment) Order 2002, under which it has been provided that the successful independent candidates who like to join party within three days of the publication in the official gazette, it was officially stated by the Ministry of Law, Justice and Human Rights Division.

Under the LFO (Amendment) Order 2002, it has been provided that the amendment contemplates that the person shall be disqualified from being elected as a Member of Parliament if he is for the time being disqualified from being elected or chosen as the Member of Parliament or of a Provincial Assembly under any law for the time in force.

The amendment gives newly-elected members of the National or Provincial Assemblies to join the party of their liking within the shortest period.

The LFO (Amendment) Order, 2002, further states that the judges of the Supreme Court shall hold office until they attain the age of 68 years and the judges of High Courts until attainment of the age of 65 years. Under the amended law, the minimum age limit for appointment of a judge of high Court has been increased by 30 years. A person shall not be appointed as a judge of High Court unless he has attained the age of 45 years.

Ahmed Hassan adds: The late night promulgation of the ordinance amending the Legal Framework Order (LFO) making it mandatory for all the successful independent contestants to join a political party within three days of the election results, has given air to the rumours about the planned expansion of pro-government party in the parliament.

Political analyst say that it seems to be a trap for the independent candidates as they would lose their bargaining grounds and would have to join a party latest by Oct 18 else would have to vacate the seat.

One analyst was of the view that allotting a common symbol of crescent to 99 independent candidates for the National Assembly and 231 candidates for the provincial assemblies, and then amending the LFO have made things clear that the government was trying to seat a particular party at the treasury benches.

Most of these candidates are the potential winners and is said to have reached an agreement with the power brokers to join the pro-government party. Among them are dissidents and even those who opted to contest independently despite the fact that they were awarded party tickets.

One glaring example is Ghualm Sarwar Khan from Rawalpindi who was allotted ticket by the PPP but he decided to contest as an independent candidate.