SM Zafar rules out presidential form of govt

Published September 19, 2005

LAHORE, Sept 18: Senator S.M. Zafar has said that the nation had already reached a consensus on parliamentary system of government as the best political system for Pakistan and there was no need for talking about the presidential form.

Talking to reporters after the IEP meeting on Indus Waters Treaty on Sunday, he said that the nation had already experimented the presidential system during the days of Ayub Khan but it failed to meet public aspirations.

He said that it was during the Ayub Khan’s last days that a roundtable conference of the politicians was held to discuss the question as to which system of government suited the country. The RTC had decided in favour of parliamentary system. “Now I fail to understand why the question is being raised again when a consensus had already been reached,” he asked.

As regards recent talks between Pakistan and Israel, he said that no decision had so far been taken on the recognition of Israel by Islamabad as the talks remained confined how Pakistan could be helpful to the solution of the Palestine issue.

About the violence against women in Pakistan, Mr Zafar said that it was heartening that the women had the courage to raise their voice against violence on and rape with the help of media and NGOs. He said that the NGOs should assure the world that adequate measures being taken to check violence upon women in Pakistan and desist from tarnishing its image abroad.