ISLAMABAD: Senior politician and member of the Upper House in the Parliament Raza Rabbani has raised the possibility of a Senate-led inquiry into President Arif Alvi’s recent statement alleging that officials at the presidency had undermined his authority.
Senator Rabbani indicated that if an inquiry were to be initiated, the president would be required to appear before an upper house committee, as he is a part of the parliament under Article 50 of the Constitution.
The controversy surfaced after President Alvi’s revelation on Sunday, where he disclosed that he had declined to sign two bills into law. These bills aimed to grant authorities increased powers for prosecuting individuals involved in acts against the state and the military. The law ministry had called this move unconstitutional.
President Alvi’s Claims of Authority Breach
The President posted a tweet from his personal social media account saying “As God is my witness, I did not sign the Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 & Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as I disagreed with these laws.” This declaration triggered a debate on the interpretation of Article 75.
In his claim, the President stated that he had directed his staff to return the bills unsigned to the legislature within the specified timeframe. “However, I have discovered today that my staff undermined my intentions and commands,” the President added.
Discussing the matter at the Sindh High Court, Rabbani, a legal expert himself, criticized Alvi’s tweet, deeming it inappropriate.
Rabbai said that as the head of state, President Alvi could have constitutionally returned the bills using Article 75. He wondered that the President neither sign the bills nor provide his observations on them. What does this imply?
The seasoned politician highlighted that the president, in accordance with Article 50 of the Constitution, is a part of the parliament and should thus appear before a Senate committee.
The implicated officials should also appear before this committee, he noted, suggesting that this committee should investigate and unearth the factual details.
“If it’s established that the president has made a false statement, then legal action can be taken against him.”
In response to inquiries about the status of the bills, Rabbani stated, “It remains uncertain whether the president has signed them or not. On one hand, he claims not to have signed, while simultaneously apologizing to those who could be affected.”
Rabbani emphasized the clarity of Article 75 of the Constitution on this matter.
“Given the prevailing circumstances, anything is possible,” remarked the PPP leader, when asked how the situation would unfold if the president denies posting the statement on the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Rabbani added that President Alvi’s term is concluding on September 9, and an inquiry could be launched against him by the Senate.
However, Rabbani differentiated between the issue of presidential impeachment and the Senate’s ability to conduct an inquiry.
