The former Chief Justice of Pakistan, Sajjad Ali Shah, has termed the presidential referendum "unconstitutional". Talking to Radio Tehran, he said that the public appearance of General Musharraf in military uniform during his recent rallies violated the discipline of the armed forces, as Pakistani law does not permit men in uniform to indulge in politics. Mr. Shah said it was unfortunate that in Pakistan army generals had been playing political roles.

The former Chief Justice claimed that the President cannot be elected by referendum as there is a separate procedure in the Constitution for this purpose. The President may use the referendum to ask a question of supreme national interest and the answer must always be 'Yes' or 'No'. The National Assembly, the Senate and the four provincial assemblies should constitute an electoral college for the election of the head of the state. In a referendum, other contenders are not allowed to take part. The public should not be approached by only one person who claims to have introduced reforms and asks whether they like him or not.

Mr. Shah added that Mr. Musharraf had criticized both Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif without any justification and called them plunderers of national wealth. "If they are really plunderers and charges have been framed against them, then only the Pakistani courts are authorized to do them justice."