LAHORE, Sept 6: The PML-Q and the MMA at their fifth and final round of talks on the LFO on Saturday prepared a set of recommendations on contentious issues for consideration by heads of parties represented in parliament.
The two sides handed the media a one-page press release that appeared to conceal more than it revealed.
Representatives of both the sides claimed that “positive and practicable progress” had been made in what they called “consultations” on issues of Article 58(2)B, separation of the offices of the president and the army chief, formation of the National Security Council, recourse by the president to his electoral college, retirement age of superior court judges and reservations about the inclusion of the subject of local government in the sixth schedule of the Constitution, which affects provincial autonomy.
Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, Senator S.M. Zafar and NSC secretary Tariq Aziz represented the government while MNAs Liaquat Baloch and Hafiz Husain Ahmad represented the MMA.
The ruling party chief told Dawn after the formal briefing that there was no shift in his party’s stand on the status of the LFO which, he insisted, had been and continued to be part of the Constitution and there should be no ambiguity on the issue.
He said any amendment to be agreed upon between the two sides would be incorporated in the Constitution, not the LFO.
Hafiz Husain Ahmad said the MMA would give only one year’s extension to Gen Pervez Musharraf as army chief and the extended term would not go beyond 2004.
He said a cut-off date in this regard would be mentioned in the proposed package.
Chaudhry Shujaat Husain, on the other hand, said the issue of uniform was for the president to decide. He said it was a settled issue which would not be reopened.
The political fate of former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Mian Nawaz Sharif seems to stand sealed as, according to Chaudhry Shujaat, under the Constitution, as amended by the LFO, nobody can become head of government for a third term. He said the matter had not been raised by any of the MMA leaders which clearly meant that the article dealing with the subject would remain unaltered.
MMA’s Liaquat Baloch said the opposition’s anti-LFO protest in the National Assembly would continue till the government moved an amendment bill.
However, Chaudhry Shujaat Husain said there was no justification for the protest after the talks. He said in case the opposition continued to disrupt NA proceedings, the ruling party would go ahead with its legislative business. He said in case the opposition cooperated, the ruling party would take it into confidence while enacting legislation.
Replying to a question, the PML-Q leader said the government would not establish any contact with the ARD parties as the MMA had taken it upon itself to satisfy the alliance, of which the PPP and the PML-N are the major constituents.
Answering a question, Mr Baloch said the proposed amendment bill would be tabled by the government according to practice.
The head of the ruling party said that experts would decide about the procedure.
APP adds: Talking to reporters at the Mazar-i-Quaid in Karachi, Chaudhry Shujaat described the talks with the MMA as constructive and fruitful.
“Today’s meeting and the last one remained very positive and constructive as against the previous meetings,” said the PML-Q chief.
He said the MMA showed a high degree of flexibility and positive approach while the government also displayed its open-mindedness during the talks.
To a question, he said no religious issue, including declaring Friday as weekly holiday, was discussed. He made it clear that only those issues were taken up which had already been forwarded.