By APP,
Islamabad : PPP Co-Chairman Senator Asif Ali Zardari said on Tuesday that his party is committed to the 1973 Constitution, which is the force behind the federation and has kept the country united.
“Despite successive attempts at manipulating the constitution to legitimize the rule of non-representative forces, the 1973 Constitution has time and again proved that it remains the best framework to guide state institutions, and define state functions, their power, and relations between its various organs,” said the PPP Co-Chairman replying to a media query about the Party’s position on the 1973 Constitution.
The 1973 Constitution has kept Pakistan integrated. The 1973 Constitution was introduced by the PPP government and Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto got it passed unanimously by the Parliament, he said.
“Our Party has a moral obligation to safeguard the Constitution as we are public representatives as well as the proponents of a constitutional rule,” Mr Zardari added.
The PPP leader, who is also the Presidential Candidate for the upcoming presidential election, said that the 1973 Constitution, in its original shape envisages parliamentary supremacy and balance of power among all organs of the state.
“And this is how the PPP wishes to retain it. We are not in favour of any constitutional manipulations to seek our goals. In fact, the ‘73 Constitution, as per the Charter of Democracy, best describes our agenda and goals.”
Asif Ali Zardari said that there was no denying that constitutions are liable to change, especially when a dynamic society seeks new tools to deal with exigencies of development.
“However, constitutional amendments can never be legitimate if they do not have the backing of elected representatives. The February 18 elections were a mandate by the public to protect this framework and the Charter of Democracy so that in future no dictator can violate the constitution in the name of protecting the country,” he said.
Indeed, it is the Constitution that protects the country and only a political system can guarantee that the basic assumptions of the state and its constitutions are not abused to suit the interest of a certain group, Zardari said.