A top Presidency source on Sunday assured the people that the session of the newly-elected National Assembly would be convened at the earliest, following the issuance of notification for the MNAs-elect by the Election Commission of Pakistan.
The source, who is a key member of the Presidential Camp, refuted foreign media reports that President Musharraf was considering to quit. He also vehemently brushed aside fears that the president might dissolve the National Assembly if the anti-Musharraf forces succeeded to form governments at the Centre and in the provinces.
“For God’s sake, he (Musharraf) is not a mad person. Why should he dissolve the assembly?” the Presidency source said, claiming that the president sincerely wished the system to move forward.
In the anti-Musharraf political circles, which have emerged as the dominant force in the recent elections, there are growing apprehensions that the President might use his constitutional power to dissolve the assemblies if things did not move his way.
The Pakistan People’s Party and the Pakistan Muslim League-N, which together have won the majority seats in the National Assembly, also intend to amend the Constitution and clip the president of his power to dismiss the government and dissolve the National Assembly.
“We want the things to move on,” the Presidency source said, appreciating that the leading political parties were trying to form a national government. “Let’s hope that the new set-up becomes successful,” said the source, adding that now it depended on Asif Ali Zardari and Mian Nawaz Sharif how would they rule the country.
The source volunteered to say that President Musharraf had now not much role to play in the new set-up. This key member of the Presidential Camp also denied that the Presidency was using its influence on the PPP or on its top leader Asif Ali Zardari to form the government of the President’s choice, i.e. a coalition government of PPP, PML-Q, MQM, etc, but surely minus the PML-N.
He said that the President was willing to work with any government no matter even if it was formed by the PPP and the PML-N. The source, however, lamented that doubts were being created about the President and his intentions.
He argued that the President had promised that free and fair elections would be held but many doubted him though the elections had proved him right. He said that aspersions were also cast on the President when he had said that he would doff his uniform that he did in November last year.
When asked about the convening of the newly-elected National Assembly, which would be a prelude for the formation of the government, he said that it would be done only after the election commission notified the names of all the elect MNAs.
He assured that the President would not delay the convening of the assembly’s first session. There are mounting fears within the PPP and the PML-N circles that the President would delay the summoning of the new assembly’s first session to gain maximum time for maneuvers to form a government of his choice. “We would call the assembly to meet at the earliest after the election commission’s notifications are issued,” he said.
Referring to the foreign media reports that the President was considering to resign after the people chose the anti-Musharraf forces to rule the country, he said that no such thing was ever discussed or considered. He said that the President had been elected by the parliament so there was no question of his resignation. “But let me assure you when he would think that he is no more required, he would quit immediately,” the source, however, said.
To a question about the possible response of the Presidency if the deposed judges were restored as resolved by the PPP-PML-N, he said, “We would have no objection if the deposed judges are restored through a constitutional amendment.”
When told that the judges could be restored with a simply executive order, he said, “How could you do that? It would be unconstitutional?” When told that the Nov 3 PCO was unconstitutional, he argued that the PCO got validity from the Supreme Court but admitted that such unconstitutional action required indemnity from parliament.