PPP, PML-N demand for Alvi’s resignation after not signing bills

ISLAMABAD (NNI): Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) sought the resignation of President Arif Alvi after the latter admitted not having signed two significant bills pertaining to the army and secrets laws.

Unexpectedly, President Alvi stated that he did not enact the legislation modifying the Official Secrets Act and the Pakistan Army Act because he “disagreed with these laws.”

In a tweet on the social networking site X, formerly known as Twitter, Alvi claimed to have instructed his office workers to return the bills unsigned within the allotted period in order to render them “ineffective.”

“I confirmed from them many times that whether they have been returned and was assured that they were. However, I have found out today that my staff undermined my will and command. As Allah knows all, He will forgive Insha’Allah. But I ask forgiveness from those who will be effected,” the president said.

The Army Act Amendment Bill and the Official Secrets Act were both passed by the National Assembly and the Senate, and President Alvi signed both of them into law on Saturday, according to a report.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief was arrested shortly after the bill was approved and meanwhile, Shah Mahmood Qureshi, the party’s senior leader, was detained at his home in the evening, and this morning, reports said Asad Umar had also been detained in connection with the matter.

Faisal Karim Kundi, a spokesman for the PPP, responded by calling the incident ‘unfortunate’ and lamenting the fact that the president apologised “24 hours after it was reported on the media that he did.”

“In my opinion, such a person is unfit to hold the office and he is unaware of what is taking place and unaware of his by-passers,” the PPP leader claimed.

Vice President of PPP Sherry Rehman stated in a statement that the revelation casts doubt on Alvi’s capacity to serve as president.

Rehman questioned, “Is he trying to say that someone else signed the bills under from under his nose? If so, the president should resign.”

Ishaq Dar, a PML-N leader and former finance minister, called Alvi’s statement “unbelievable” and demanded his resignation in a post on the social media platform X.

According to the Ministry of Law and Justice’s statement, a measure is forwarded to the president pursuant to Article 75 of the Constitution, who has the choice of approving it or returning it with reservations.

The ministry stated, “There is no third under Article 75,” adding that in this instance, President Alvi did not carry out his obligations under the said article.

“If the president wanted to return the bills, then he should have returned them with his observations. He could have returned the bills in the same manner he did earlier.”

The ministry said it was a cause for concern that the president chose to defame his staff instead of taking responsibility himself.