Islamabad, Pakistan — Gen. Mohammed Zia ulHaq pledged Saturday that Pakistan will have a proper parliamentary government, but said that as president, he will keep on ruling by martial law at least for a few months.

Zia disclosed his power sharing plan in a televised address during which he announced that he is reviving the 1973 constitution with several amendments, Zia suspended the constitution when he seized power in a 1977 coup and imposed martial law.

He described the changes as a balancing of powers between himself and the future prime minister, whom he will appoint.

Pakistan’s first general election in nearly eight years took place last week.

Zia said the constitutional amendments will take effect before the newly elected Parliament opens March 23. But he said that as an elected body and an “independent and sovereign institution,” it will be able to ‘‘amend, reject or accept” the changes.

Zia has promised repeatedly to hold elections since he toppled the civilian government of Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto during nationwide rioting over allegations that Bhutto had rigged his landslide victory. Bhutto was executed in 1979.

Zia, alluding to the circumstances that led to the coup, insisted in his speech that constitutional changes are needed to overcome ‘“‘future crises of a grave nature,’ almost certainly a reference to Pakistan’s tense relations with India to the east, and the war raging in Afghanistan on the western border.

One controversial amendment adds a clause to the constitution accepting a national referendum Zia held in December to extend his rule by five years.

The Dec. 19 referendum asked the nation to endorse his plan to place Pakistan’s government and business structures under the rule of Islamic law, a program that would take five years. The plan received an overwhelming “yes” vote, but there was widespread suspicion the government rigged the outcome, Zia’s new term of office starts March 23.

Among other proposed changes, Zia will remain supreme commander of the armed forces, a title he already holds as chief martial law administrator.

Zia will also have the power to dissolve the National Assembly, but should he do so, new elections must be held within 100 days.

Besides naming the next prime minister, Zia will also be able to appoint the Cabinet, and order a national referendum on any important issue.

Article extracted from this publication >> March 8, 1985