KARACHI, July 22: Sindh Democratic Alliance (SDA) president Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh on Monday said his party presented its reservations over the proposed draft of constitutional amendments in its meeting with President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday.

Speaking at a press conference, he said the President promised that the suggestions would be considered before finalizing the constitutional amendments.

Imtiaz Shaikh said the SDA welcomed the overall amendments, but it was of the view that the role of the proposed National Security Council should be only of an advisory nature and that the parliament should be the supreme forum.

He was of the view that chairman of the Senate and the NA speaker should also be made members of the NSC.

He said his party had also demanded that graduation condition should be relaxed for women candidates as there were very few women graduates in rural areas. It also demanded power for the Senate to pass finance bill.

About the Council of Common Interest, the SDA emphasised that it should be formed with more powers for the province with no veto power to the centre.

The SDA expressed concern over the issue of provincial autonomy and said that while the President has fulfilled his promise to transfer powers to the district level, the transfer of powers to provinces still remained.

The President, he said, assured his party that provinces would be given maximum autonomy as soon as possible.—APP