SM Zafar asks Shujaat not to support 22nd amendment

ISLAMABAD: Renowned constitutional expert and ex-Senator SM Zafar on Saturday termed the proposed 22nd constitutional amendment “suicidal step” and asked Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain to keep distance from this move because the amendment in the Constitution will be disastrous.
“I was shocked to see that under your leadership and without calling the meeting of the Executive Committee, the party has decided to support amendment in the Constitution to avoid secret balloting in the oncoming Senate elections,” he said in his letter to PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain.
In his letter SM Zafar strongly criticised the party for taking a decision to support the proposed amendment without taking the party’s Executive Committee in confidence. He stated that we have always considered you one of the wise and patriotic Pakistani leaders and hence I am writing this letter. “I was shocked to see that under your leadership and without calling the meeting of Executive Committee, the party has decided to support amendment in the Constitution to avoid secret balloting in the coming Senate elections,” he stated in a letter.
SM Zafar said joining hands with those want amendment in Constitution would be disastrous. “Soon the nation and all those supporting such amendment, if succeeds, will realise that this has not controlled corruption in the country but it will take a quantum jump which will be uncontrollable later,” he added.
He stated as there is no more time for calling Executive Committee meeting, which should have been called before the decision, he was writing you this letter in the circumstances explained above.
SM Zafar forwarded copy of the letter to PML-Q Secretary General Mushahid Hussain Sayed saying that he should exercise his influence, if he agrees, to stop the party from taking this suicidal step before the Parliament is called for this objective.
However the PML-Q spokesman did not agree with the contention of SM Zafar’s letter to Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain saying that PML-Q never supported the proposed 22nd constitutional amendment and even it was standing actively with those parties that were opposing proposed 22nd constitutional amendment.
The PML-Q spokesman reminded that Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Mushahid Hussain Sayed had already filed petition in the Supreme Court to eliminate the curse of horse-trading.