ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi denied signing the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023, on Sunday, saying his staff “undermined” his orders.
A day after signing the two legislation, Alvi revealed on Twitter.
“As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 & Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as I disagreed with these laws,” President Alvi remarked on X.
“I asked my staff to return the bills unsigned within the deadline to render them ineffective. I repeatedly asked whether they were returned and was promised they were.”
However, I discovered today that my staff undermined my will and command. Allah knows everything, so He forgives IA. But I pray for pardon from those affected,” he said.
On August 15, Shah Mahmood Qureshi and Imran Khan detained for leaking the diplomatic cypher for political advantage under the Official Secrets Act.
After President Alvi’s comments, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) said his post unusual, alarming, and inconceivable.
“The president’s tweet has exposed to the nation the deadliest infection spreading from top to bottom in the state system,” PTI stated on its official X account.
It stated that the party spokesperson would comment after examining President Alvi’s post.
Political and legal experts say President Alvi should sue his staff since his apology wasn’t enough.
The Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023, passed the National Assembly on July 31 to punish whistleblowers with five years in prison for leaking sensitive national security or military secrets.
The Official Secrets Act approved days before the National Assembly’s August 7 dissolution.
After Senate and National Assembly acceptance, which received criticism from treasury and opposition legislators, the laws handed to the president for final approval.
The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) also slammed the president for signing the measures.
