ISLAMABAD, April 8: President Pervez Musharraf has ruled out the possibility of leaving the post of the Chief of Army Staff, saying the country was passing through a transition period and the regional and international situation was also not conducive for such an act.

An official source told Dawn that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, President of PML-Q, had raised the issue of Legal Framework Order in the meeting with the president on Monday.

The PML-Q leader informed the president that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had objections to only three out of 29 clauses of the LFO. He said the MMA wanted the president to leave the office of the Chief of Army Staff, and was opposed to presidential powers to dissolve the National Assembly. Mr Hussain also informed the president about the MMA’s demand that the National Security Council should not be made a permanent constitutional body.

The sources said the president explained to the PML-Q leader reasons for holding the post of army chief, and said the country was passing through a transition period, and it would be good if the posts of the president and the COAS were held by the same person.

In a transition period the person holding both the posts was in better position to deal with the problems created in the process, he was quoted as saying.

The president said that the army was also wary of the changing international scenario and his holding of both posts would be in the greater national interest, the sources maintained.

About Article 58(2)(B), the president said the apex court on more than five occasions had supported the presidential powers under 58(2)(B) and held that it was a “safety valve” against the imposition of martial law.

About the NSC, the president said it would not be a supra-constitutional body and its role would merely be consultative in nature. The sources said Chaudhry Shujaat also informed the president that the MMA had no objection to amendment to Article 179 and 195 which pertained to retirement age of judges of Supreme Court and high courts.