ISLAMABAD, July 20: President Gen Pervez Musharraf said on Saturday the National Security Council would be a non-intrusive body and its role and composition would be finalized after the government had received views of all segments of the society, including different political groups.

During a meeting with the leaders of National Alliance, the president reiterated that the National Security Council would be a non-intrusive consultative body.

“The role of the proposed NSC will remain non-intrusive and it will not interfere in the legislative and executive matters,” the president told the leaders of the National Alliance.

The meeting was a part of the consultative process initiated by the government to seek opinion on the proposed constitutional package.

Gen Musharraf said the proposed constitutional package was not final and it would be reviewed at the conclusion of a nation-wide debate going on at the moment.

“We are inviting people to listen to their views on the package with an open mind,” the president said. Final decision on the package, he said, would be taken keeping in view the suggestions and proposals made by different quarters and with the aim to establish sustainable democracy in the country.

The president said he was confident that the people of Pakistan wanted a leadership in the country which was neither corrupt nor involved in the loot and plunder of national wealth.

“The people want a dedicated, honest and sincere leadership because they had already suffered a lot at the hands of corrupt,” the president said. “I am not against any party or any individual. Every one would be given ample and fair chance to participate in the elections subject to the law and the Constitution, particularly with reference to corruption,” he said.

The leaders of National Alliance generally supported the proposed package but suggested that senate should be strengthened further. They also demanded the election of technocrats on the basis of proportional representation.

While emphasizing the need to give the NSC only an advisory role, they appreciated the inclusion of Leader of the Opposition in the NSC. They also suggested that foreign minister, interior minister and defence minister be made members of the proposed NSC.

The NA leaders supported empowering the president to dissolve cabinet and the National Assembly and proposed that grounds for dismissal should be explicitly defined in the proposed amendment 58(2) B.

The leaders of National Alliance, who met president included, Farooq Leghari, Ajmal Khattak, Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Mohim Khan Baloch, Mohammad Ali Durrani, Mir Taj Mohammad Jamali, Murtaza Jatoi, Sumeera Malik, Neelum Shah, Imtiaz Sheikh and Mehmood Hashmi.

Later, talking to APP, Ajmal Khattak, President of National Awami Party, said the NA delegation had fruitful and open discussion with the president on the proposed constitutional package.

“There was unanimity of views on the package but we also expressed reservations on the amendments relating to senate. We hope the president will consider our proposals and further strengthen the senate to ensure provincial autonomy,” he said.

Neelum Shah said discussion on the proposed constitutional package was very encouraging as the president heard the National Alliance leaders with an open mind.

She supported the package and said the present government’s decision to ensure participation of women in all fields was very encouraging and would help in developing a better culture and would enlighten the society.

Mehmood Hashmi, Information Secretary National Alliance, appreciated President Pervez Musharraf’s initiative to take into confidence all the segments of society on important national issues. Mian Afzal Hayat, Vice-President National Alliance, said in an open discussion on constitutional package, the alliance leaders expressed their views in detail and this process of consultation would result in improving the proposed package. —APP

GRADUATION CONDITION: Speaking at a press conference, Mohammad Ali Durrani said the president told the delegation that he had signed the notification withdrawing educational restriction on the office-bearers of political parties and it would be issued shortly, adds Our Staff Reporter.

Durrani said the alliance leaders supported the provision of 58(2) B in the Constitution. He said the NA leaders also demanded increase in senate seats to 220. He said the alliance proposed that each province should have 50 seats in the upper house of the parliament while the federally administered tribal areas should have 20 seats.

He said the National Alliance was of the view that the National Security Council should not have supremacy over the parliament.