KARACHI, Dec 26: Leaders of major political parties and eminent legal and constitutional experts have rejected the establishment of the National Security Council and the Legal Frame Work Order, saying they are in total contravention of democratic and parliamentary norms.

“They are black laws aimed at undermining the supremacy of parliament. The government should revoke these laws, otherwise democratic forces in the country stand committed to wage a struggle to force the rulers to reverse their arbitrary and whimsical decisions.”

Political leaders expressed these views at a seminar on the “Concept of Pakistan as envisioned by the Quaid-i-Azam and the LFO” held here on Wednesday under the auspices of the Pakistan Muslim League (N).

Prominent among those who spoke at/attended the seminar included deputy chief of the Jamaat-i-Islami Prof Ghafoor Ahmed, the Acting President of the PML (N) Jawaid Hashmi, the Acting Secretary-General of the Pakistan People’s Party, Mian Raza Rabbani, Former judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan Justice Wajihuddin Ahmed and the President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Hamid Ali Khan.

Jawaid Hashmi said experience showed that those who arbitrarily dissolved assemblies did not last for long in power.

“Following in his predecessors’ footsteps President Musharraf is heading towards the same direction. His fate would not be different from that of the dictators in the past,” he added.

He said all political parties of the country should set aside their differences and make joint efforts against “unlawful and unconstitutional steps of the government.”

Mian Raza Rabbani termed the LFO a major obstacle to the working of parliament and the Constitution, and claimed it had been adopted with ill intentions.

“The LFO is aimed at curtailing the powers of elected prime minister and it also makes parliament subservient to president. It will not only undermine the status of parliament but also amounts to trampling over provincial autonomy,” he remarked.

Prof Ghafoor Ahmed claimed that the LFO had unanimously been rejected by the nation and politically parties alike as “this black law runs contrary to the authority of parliament and the Constitution.”

“Despite his best and intense efforts, the president would never be able to make the LFO a part of the Constitution,” he declared.

The President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, Hamid Khan, said the lawyers community stood committed to continue its struggle for maintaining the supremacy of the rule of law and the Constitution. — PPI