Qazi seeks draft of package

Published August 3, 2003

LAHORE, Aug 2: Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and Pakistan Muslim League-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain phoned Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal Vice-President Qazi Hussain Ahmed on Saturday and exchanged views with him on the political situation in the country.

Qazi Hussain asked the prime minister to send him a copy of the constitutional package if it had been drafted, and the MMA would then give its own proposals, says a press release.

The prime minister said he would consult “various people” before presenting a draft of the constitutional amendments.

Mr Jamali told the MMA leader that no date had yet been set for the government-opposition talks or a session of the National Assembly.

According to the press release, Qazi Hussain said the MMA would hold its public meeting in Rawalpindi on Aug 14 and the workers had been issued necessary instructions.

Meanwhile, Federal Information Minister Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said in Islamabad on Saturday that he that he was not aware of when the next meeting, but added that it could be held at any time. He also said that as he was not directly linked with the talks process, he could not say anything about the draft of the constitutional package presented for the consideration of the opposition and the government. However, he said the process had not reached the point of a deadlock.