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Musharraf agrees to submit modifications to constitutional amendments
Islamabad, Sept 19: Ahead of his departure for US, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today agreed to submit modified constitutional amendments for Parliament`s approval, but once again rejected opposition`s demand to give an undertaking to quit as chief of army.
Islamabad, Sept 19: Ahead of his departure for US, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf today agreed to submit modified constitutional amendments for Parliament's approval, but once again rejected opposition's demand to give an undertaking to quit as chief of army.
The Pakistan cabinet headed by Prime Minister, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali today approved a modified version of Musharraf's constitutional amendments which were finalised in consultations with the opposition Islamist alliance Muthahida Majlis Amal (MMA).
But Musharraf declined to give an undertaking to quit the chief of army post by December 2004 as stipulated by the MMA.
The President wanted to leave the cut off date to quit the army to himself, official media quoted Jamali telling the cabinet.
Ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Choudhary Sujath Hussain said yesterday that Musharraf has agreed to give "verbal assurance" to quit by Dec 2004 but not willing to put it down in writing, while the MMA said that it will not accept anything short of a written commitment and threatened a nationwide agitation against him.
Musharraf, however agreed for the modified amendments, which included subjecting any decision by president to dismiss the Parliament to Supreme Court and formation of the military dominated National Security Council (NSC) through an act of Parliament.
He has agreed to submit the modified proposals for approval of the parliament as a constitutional amendments, information minister Sheikh Rasheed was quoted as saying by state television.
Bureau Report
But Musharraf declined to give an undertaking to quit the chief of army post by December 2004 as stipulated by the MMA.
The President wanted to leave the cut off date to quit the army to himself, official media quoted Jamali telling the cabinet.
Ruling party Pakistan Muslim League-Q leader Choudhary Sujath Hussain said yesterday that Musharraf has agreed to give "verbal assurance" to quit by Dec 2004 but not willing to put it down in writing, while the MMA said that it will not accept anything short of a written commitment and threatened a nationwide agitation against him.
Musharraf, however agreed for the modified amendments, which included subjecting any decision by president to dismiss the Parliament to Supreme Court and formation of the military dominated National Security Council (NSC) through an act of Parliament.
He has agreed to submit the modified proposals for approval of the parliament as a constitutional amendments, information minister Sheikh Rasheed was quoted as saying by state television.
Bureau Report