That the President of Pakistan Dr Arif Alvi has caused a serious controversy by claiming that the two bills that became law in recent days were never signed by him and that he had in fact asked his staff to return them is a grim development on the political landscape that does not add to country’s image at all.
Moreover, it presents a sardonic comment on the current state of affairs that clearly shows that our country is not developing at all, but regressing.
Although the caretaker setup has quickly moved to reject the President’s claim by saying, among other things, that the bills in question automatically became laws after the President’s secretariat did not return them within the constitutionally stipulated time period of 10 days, has only added to the grimness or bitterness of the controversy because of some obvious reasons.
One of these reasons is interim government’s own decision or strategy not to initiate action against a President who has, according to it and at least two major parties of the 11-party outgoing coalition government, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Pakistan People’s Party, acted irresponsibly or done something without properly considering its possible consequences.
But a question that needs a plausible answer is why the caretaker setup is filled with benevolence towards a head of state who happens to be one of the key founders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a party which is, undoubtedly, at the receiving end of state’s strong response to the May 9 acts of violence that were allegedly conceived, planned and executed by it.
Be that as it may, the President’s office has sought, and rightly so, the replacement of Secretary Waqar Ahmed for insubordination or undermining President’s “will and command”. Unfortunately, the President has told the nation the truth, but not the whole truth. He, however, must continue to persevere and shouldn’t resign.
Nasir Warraich (Lahore)
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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