LAHORE, Nov 14: How will the agreement between the pro-PML-Q and the Muttahida Majlis-i-Aml, if at all reached as a result of the ongoing talks between them, be implemented? And will the various mechanisms available for the purpose be acceptable to the religious parties’ alliance? Will the PML-Q be in a position to have the likely accord enforced through parliament?

Highly placed official sources say there are different methods for the enforcement of any agreement between the two sides and each involves its own implications and difficulties.

If it is to be an out-of-parliament agreement, then Gen Pervez Musharraf will have to exercise his power as chief executive and make necessary changes to the Legal Framework Order (LFO). And since the LFO will be part of the constitution, the agreement will come into force with the restoration of the constitution.

“There is no need for the government to have the LFO, or its amended version, approved from parliament”, the sources insisted.

By implication this means the political parties will be accepting Gen Musharraf’s right to amend the constitution, though their point of view on the subject has so far been quite the contrary.

This option will also mean depriving the parliament of its right to take all decisions.

Official sources pointed out that the Supreme Court had held in the Watan Party case that the chief executive could amend the constitution and that the LFO had become a part of the constitution.

Another mechanism is that new parliament enforces the agreement by making necessary amendments to the basic law.

For this purpose, the parties should have two-third majority in both houses of parliament.

Assuming that the People’s Party Parliamentarians and the PML-N stay away as they are not part of the agreement, the PML-Q and the MMA will have to take almost all other parties along to be able to make any amendment to the constitution.

As many as 228 legislators are needed in the National Assembly comprising 342 members to alter the basic law.

A separate two-third majority would be required in the yet-to-be-elected 100-member Senate.

The PPP and the PML-N have together about 100 legislators with them in the lower house of parliament.

The PML-Q sources claim that the Muttahida Qaumi Movement, the National Alliance and MMA will join hands with them to form government and they will have necessary numerical strength to bring about any change to the constitution.

They said it had been decided in principle that parties having majority at the centre and in provinces would lead the respective governments.

Matters like President Musharraf’s continuing as army chief, his power to dissolve the assembly, discretionary powers of the president and governors and the need and composition of the National Security Council are yet to be taken up between the PML-Q and the MMA.

“We are confident that an amicable solution will be found to all these issues”, the PML-Q sources say.

They said issues were being discussed at present and distribution of offices like the Senate chairman, the National Assembly speaker and deputy speaker and quota of various parties in the federal and provincial cabinets would be taken up during the next few days.