Islamabad, June 12: Opposition lawmakers continuing a boycott of Pakistani parliament for the past three days today threatened to bring people into the streets if a row over President Pervez Musharraf's changes in the constitution was not resolved. "If the deadlock continues we will have no option but to bring people onto the street to establish the supremacy of the constitution," Liaqat Baloch, leader of the powerful Islamic alliance of Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) said.

The opposition disrupted the presentation of a 13.8 billion dollar national budget for 2003-2004 on Saturday and refused to participate in the debate which started on Tuesday.

Thumping desks and shouting "go Musharraf go," legislators from MMA, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) walked out of the debate again today.

Musharraf enacted a series of changes in the 1973 constitution before holding elections in October which restored the parliament after three years of military rule.

He gave himself powers to sack the elected assembly and provided a formal role for the Army in politics through the National Security Council.

The general, who seized power in a 1999 coup after toppling the elected government of then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif, has declared himself president and the Army chief until 2007.

MMA has been at the forefront of the campaign to force Musharraf to quit his dual posts of Army chief and president and submit to an election.

Bureau Report