ISLAMABAD, March 26: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the government does not intend to bring about any change in the basic structure and spirit of the 1973 Constitution, as it is a document framed and approved with national consensus.
He stated this during separate meetings with the delegations of the Awami National Party and the Sindh Democratic Alliance, here on Tuesday.
The president said parliamentary democracy as envisaged in the constitution would be ensured, and there was no move under consideration at any level to switch to presidential or any other form of governance in the country.
He pointed out that in the list of the Supreme Court verdict, the government was empowered to make certain essential changes, which were being analysed at the National Reconstruction Bureau (NRB) and would be made public in due course of time.
Musharraf highlighted the need for an effective system of checks and balances among the major power centres, namely, the offices of president, prime minister and chief of the army staff.
He dwelt at length on various proposals under consideration for ensuring the continuity of reforms and the process of restructuring that had been initiated by the government and, in this regard, sought the views of those present in the two meetings.
It was imperative to keep national interests supreme as opposed to party and personal interests, Musharraf stressed.
With the successful introduction of devolution of power to the grassroots, he said, the first phase of “genuine democracy” had already started functioning in the country. The government, he went on to say, was now working out plans for devolving powers from the centre to the provinces, ensuring greater autonomy for the latter, placing special emphasis on financial autonomy.
Later, talking to newsmen, ANP President Asfandyar Wali Khan said matters relating to referendum, condition of graduation for candidates contesting elections to the national and provincial assemblies, as well as problems of medical practitioners in the NWFP came under discussion, during the meeting. He said they expressed their views on these issues.
The leader of the Sindh Democratic Alliance, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, expressed the support of the alliance to various policies of the government. Other members of the alliance also expressed their views on the forthcoming elections to the national and provincial assemblies.