ISLAMABAD: As the Senate on Monday marl(ed the passage of the 1973 Constitution, members on both sides of the aisle appeared united in their denunciation of past military interventions, regretting that those who abrogated the `green book` had never been truly punished.

The issue of enforced disappearances and their repercussions was also forcefully raised by members during the discussion to mark Constitution Day.Taking part in the debate, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Farhatullah Babar said the days of abrogating the Constitution and imposing provisional constitution orders (PCOs) and legal framework orders (LFOs) might be over, but the day when all state institutions willingly accepted the supremacy of the Constitution was still some way down the road.

`Had all state institutions willingly submitted to the Constitution, it would not have been possible for a dictator being tried for treason to escape the law by just barging into a hospital in Rawalpindi, leaving the courts and parliament bewildered,` he said, in reference to retired General Pervez Musharraf. He was of the view that the document should be a compulsory subject in academic institutions, particularly in military academies, to inculcate respect for the Constitution.Historically, the mindset of the establishment knew little respect for the Constitution, he said, recalling the Quaid-i-Azam`s June 1948 address to officers in Quetta.

The Quaid, he said, had deplored that senior military officers did not fullyappreciate the importance of the Constitution and the oath they had taken. The Quaid had then read out the oath to them to emphasise the importance of the words in it, he said.

`There is a mindset that believes that a uniformed person is a greater patriotthan a civilian and an elected prime minister is a `security risk`. Such a mindset does not readily come to terms with the Constitution framed by elected representatives of the people,` he said.

On a point of order, Mr Babar, who is also spokesperson for former president Asif Ali Zardari, called attention to the recent disappearances of two Zardari aides and warned of serious consequences ofenforced disappearances of people for purely political purposes.

Until recently people were kidnapped and vanished without a trace for their alleged involvement in subversive and anti-state activities, but now a new dimension has been added making people disappear to settle political scores, he said.

The Constitution dictated that a suspect had to be produced in court within 24 hours, but those who had kidnapped Ishfaq Leghari and Ghulam QadirMarrihadnorespectfortheConstitution or rule of law and thought themselves above the law, he said.

`If the two are accused of any crime, they should be charged and produced before a court and tried in accordance with the law,` he said, demanding that the minister concerned come to the house and make a statement.

Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani asked the senator to raise the issue in the human rights committee, of which Mr Babar is a member.

Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Senator Usman Kakar regretted that Pakistan had become a security state instead of a welfare state. He lamented that those who violated the Constitution always got off scot-free and were supported by different political parties.

Sardar Azam Khan Moosakhel was the lone senator to have expressd his reservations over the Constitution, saying that regional languages should also be given status of national languages.

BNP-M`s Jehanzaib Jamaldini said amendments to the 1973 Constitution began days after its passage. He said the Constitution was still being `held hostage`.

MQM Senator Tahir Mashhadi termed Pakistan`sConstitution one of the best constitutions in the world, but regrette d that it was flagrantly being violated.

The PPP`s parliamentary leader Taj Haider said the part of the Constitution enshrining human rights and principles of policy was being ignored.

Responding to questions, Foreign Affairs Adviser Sartaj Aziz said the military tribunal verdict was in accordance with the law and country`s Constitution.