Pakistani opposition denounces Musharraf move

Pakistani opposition figures today denounced constitutional amendments granting President Pervez Musharraf sweeping powers, saying they were a blow to democracy.

Musharraf yesterday said he had unilaterally made 29 amendments to the constitution, including giving himself the power to dissolve parliament, and to pick the heads of the armed forces.

He also said he had established a National Security Council to oversee the government and had extended his term in office by five years.

Opposition politicians said the move effectively hamstrings the next prime minister and parliament.

Major parties said changes to the constitution could only be made by parliament and accused Musharraf of seeking to perpetuate dictatorship under the guise of democracy.

The Pakistan People’s Party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, believed to be the strongest opposition party, said Musharraf "might as well declare himself as the absolute monarch for life".

"Musharraf has grabbed all the powers and the next prime minister will be helpless," said Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan of the Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy.

"Musharraf got the power to dissolve the parliament to blackmail the future prime ministers and members of the parliament so that they don’t take any action against him."

A spokesman for the main Islamic party, Jamaat-e-Islami, said the amendments made a mockery of pledges to restore democracy.

The spokesman, Ameerul Azeem, said the opposition would "undo these amendments if voted into power by the people of Pakistan".

Sadique al-Farooq, spokesman for the Pakistan Muslim League, said his party would use all means short of violence to challenge Musharraf’s rule.

"Now the ball is in the court of all those forces who believe in a true democratic system," he said.