PESHAWAR, June 27: Pakistan People’s Party has rejected the proposed constitutional amendments offered by the government and termed it an assault on the fundamental rights of people and basic structure of the Constitution.
Speaking at a news conference here at the party’s secretariat on Thursday, PPP provincial chief Khwaja Mohammad KHan Hoti said his party would take up this dictatorial issue in the superior court. It was a unilateral steps being taken by the military rulers who were running the country without any law, he added.
The rulers, he said, had trampled the Constitution under their feet. After amendments, the Constitution would be no more a valid document, adopted unanimously by the then parliamentarian in 1973 after the dismemberment of the country, he added.
The all powerful president, he said, would have the power to nominate and dismiss the prime minister, his cabinet and even the elected national assembly. By taking these measures, the rulers were paving way for the privileged and elite class to occupy the parliament, he added.
Mr Hoti said those parties who could not bag even 10 per cent of votes were being consulted by the rulers on national issues. “The proposed amendments will ultimately give an unfair chance to the failed politicians and non-entities to enter the parliament and play with the destiny of the people and country,” he added.
He believed that the people would give a crushing defeat to the government’s nominees into the upcoming elections. The next parliament would undo all such dictatorial measures, he added.
He announced that the PPP would launch a mass contact drive by July 5 and mobilize the masses against the undemocratic measures by the government. The PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto would lead the electioneering soon after her return the country, he added.
Mr Hoti said the country was passing through an uncertain and gloomy phase owing to the growing lawlessness, unemployment and price-hike. The government had badly failed to provide protection and safety to citizens, he added.
ANP VERSION: The Awami National Party has also rejected the proposed constitutional amendments and termed it a move to replace the parliamentary system with the presidential form of government.
Speaking at a party meeting in Hazar Khwani here on Wednesday night, the ANP information secretary Haji Mohammad Adeel said after the proposed surgery into the Constitution, the national assembly would lose its authority as legislative body.
He said: “Our national assembly will be like the assembly of the Jammu and Kashmir and our prime minister will be less powerful than the Kashmir state chief minister. Our parliament will be like the Royal Council of the Kingdom of Jordan”.
He said the life of assemblies would be four years, but the term of the president would be for five years.