ISLAMABAD, Aug 6: President Gen Pervez Musharraf has said the views of constitutional experts, intelligentsia and political leaders will be given due consideration before proposed amendments are finalized.

However, according to informed sources, the president told a joint meeting of the cabinet and the National Security Council here on Tuesday that major proposals like the restoration of Article 58(2)(b) and the creation of the NSC, would not be withdrawn.

The president said he would make sure that political and economic reforms agenda that had been carried out during the last two-and-a-half years was not undone by the future government.

National Reconstruction Bureau Chairman Tanvir Naqvi gave a briefing to the meeting about the package in the context of views, comments and suggestions received from various segments of society.

The meeting lasted more than six hours during which participants also asked questions both from the president and the NRB chairman.

The participants were of the view that bare minimum amendments should be incorporated in the Constitution. It was said that the government would withdraw many of the proposed amendments, including those empowering the president to appoint the prime minister and reducing the terms of the National Assembly and the Senate.

The president commended the NRB authorities for formulating the proposals and said that without amending the Constitution, there was no hope of strengthening democratic institutions.

Sources said the government had not rejected the idea of including ministers for interior, foreign affairs and defence in the National Security Council.

“Since many people are talking about it, it could be considered to have the three ministers in the NSC,” a source said.

The president is expected to announce the finalization of the amendments shortly.

The joint meeting was attended by members of the NSC, particularly the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, the three services chiefs, provincial governors, special adviser to the president, Syed Sharifuddin Pirzada, and the attorney-general.

The cabinet will meet again on Wednesday.