Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who is under pressure to quit as Chief of Army over legality of his constitutional amendments, has decided not to submit the Legal Framework Order, which incorporated the amendments, to Parliament for ratification. The decision was taken during an unscheduled meeting attended by Musharraf, Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali and president of ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q) Sujaat Hussain here last night. The meeting was held as the deadlock over the LFO snow-balled into a major constitutional crisis with Opposition parties continuing to disrupt parliament sessions. Earlier, Hussain negotiated with Islamist alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) for a compromise but the talks broke down after Musharraf declined to quit as Army chief. Musharraf and PML-Q assert that LFO, which legalised the election of Musharraf as President through referendum last year, was legal while the Opposition say they would abide only by the 1973 Constitution and would not recognise LFO. Rejecting the Opposition’s stand, Hussain told the media after meeting Musharraf that by contesting elections under LFO, the Opposition accepted it as part of the Constitution. “Therefore, there is no need to take it to Parliament for approval,” he said. In view of disruption of Parliament proceedings, Musharraf reportedly deferred his plans to address the joint session of the house. Last night’s meeting reviewed the situation, particularly the latest disturbance in the Senate, and decided that the joint session of Parliament be postponed till a conducive time, PML-Q leaders said.
