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| Thursday, 1 January 2004 |
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Musharraf wins powers with amendments ISLAMABAD, Wednesday (Reuters) Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf won vast powers, including the authority to dismiss the elected government, as the Senate approved a set of sweeping constitutional amendments despite opposition protests. The National Assembly passed the constitutional amendment bill on Monday by a two-thirds majority. The approval of the Senate means Musharraf will stay in power until late 2007, subject to a formal vote of confidence on Thursday, and keep the powerful post of military chief for one more year, until the end of 2004. General Musharraf took power in a bloodless coup in October 1999, before handing over some powers to a prime minister after elections in October 2002. The bill was approved in the Senate by 72 of the 100 house members, with opponents staging a walkout, government officials said. The ruling coalition won the votes of a hardline Islamic alliance, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), to get the required two-thirds majority. The main opposition, Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD), said Islamic parties had once again proved themselves to be allies of the military, as they have often been in the past. |
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