gaddam@remus.rutgers.edu (Surekha Reddy Gaddam) (04/18/91)
*** My apologies. sender's name got deleted. *************** Mairaj: Shariat Bill Will Create Constitutional Crisis [The following item, reprinted from Dawn, is from the April 16 issue of the Minaret, published from New York.] Quami Mahaz-i-Azadi chief Mairaj Mohammad Khan said the controversial Shariat Bill would render the 1973 Constitution redundant and create a constitutional crisis, Dawn reported. Talking to newsmen at an Iftar reception hosted by him, he said the Shariat Bill would end the supremacy of the Constitution, which had already lost its shape due to the Eighth Amendment. "In order to sidetrack the main issues confronting the country like the annulment of the Eighth Constitutional Amendment, restructuring of the national economy, maintaining a balance between the expenditure on defence and health and education sectors, the Government has again initiated the Shariat Bill to create confusion in the country," he added. He said some forces were trying to make Pakistan a theocratic state against the wishes of its founder Qaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. "Attempts are being made to establish dictatorship in this country in the name of religion," he said, and added: "I strongly oppose the Shariat Bill." Mairaj said the Shariat Bill would deprive the minorities, women and smaller religious sects of their due rights and push the country backward. He said if the bill was passed by Parliament, the smaller provinces might not accept the supremacy of any other law over the Constitution. The QMA chief strongly criticised the violence against the Press in Karachi and said some terrorists had entered politics. "Unless political parties get rid of these terrorists, it will be difficult for them to carry on politicking," Mairaj added. He said the law and order situation in Sindh was deteriorating and nobody was safe in that province. The QMA chief, resonding to a question, said the PPP was not involved in the hijacking of a Singapore airline plane as was being claimed by the Government. He observed this was also another plan to divert the attention of the people from the burning issues. *** My apologies. Sender's name got deleted. *************** -------------------------------------------------------------------- Edited by Surekha --