Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has issued 297 Ordinances during the last three years of his regime besides bringing in a plethora of Constitutional amendments empowering himself and the military.

The Parliament, if agreed to validate all the Ordinances issued during Muasharraf's three-year military rule, would have to accept a totally mutilated Constitution and nearly 300 Ordinances, which had eroded the liberties of the citizens guaranteed by the 1973 Constitution, the 'Dawn' daily said in a report on December 16.

Musharraf first issued National Accountability Bureau Ordinance 1999, on November 16, 1999 to crackdown on corrupt politicians. The NAB Law has empowered officials to imprison the accused for 90 days for investigations, the paper said.

The 90 days detention was contrary to the ruling by the Supreme Court which said that no accused could be detained for a term exceeding 15 days at a time and if sufficient and reasonable cause appeared for further remand, after the expiry of first 15 days.

The Law, though amended as directed by the Supreme Court, was continued to be misused and its selective application continued through out the three-year rule, it said.

"The President trampled more on the personal liberties of the citizens than any of the military rulers in the past. President Ayub Khan, first military ruler, had promulgated Maintenance of Public Order Law, allowing the executive authorities to detain a citizen for one month without giving any reason," the paper said.

PTI