Gen to pull out or modify changes to Constitution

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has decided to either withdraw or modify some of his controversial proposals to amend the Constitution, which were widely denounced by the country8217;s mainstream political parties and media.

Musharraf will announce the final package of amendments in his address to the nation over state media probably on August 20, a senior Pakistani official was quoted as saying by the local Daily Times newspaper.

The final package would include withdrawal of a 8216;8216;number of proposals8217;8217; in the light of his meetings with the leaders of political parties and feedback from various segments of society, the unidentified official said.

However, he said, 8216;8216;the issues related to the authority and powers of the President and PM are being discussed.8217;8217; The news followed the clarification by Pakistan8217;s National Reconstruction Bureau, the official body that drafted the amendments, that the amendments could be struck down by Parliament to be elected after the October 10 polls.

In the modified version of the amendments, Musharraf could curtail his powers to sack the PM and Cabinet and not the Parliament and provincial assemblies as envisaged in the earlier proposals. The proposal to grant powers to President to sack PM and Parliament has been widely criticised by almost all political parties as a 8216;8216;blatant attempt to stifle8217;8217; democracy.