In a surprising turn of events, President Arif Alvi of Pakistan announced on Sunday that he did not sign the bills to amend the Official Secrets Act and the Pakistan Army Act into law. The president stated that he disagreed with these laws and accused his staff of undermining his authority.
President Alvi took to the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to make his statement. He said, “As God is my witness, I did not sign the Official Secrets Amendment Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, 2023, as I disagreed with these laws.”
The president further revealed that he had instructed his staff to return the bills unsigned within the given timeframe, to render them ineffective. “I confirmed with them multiple times whether they had been returned and was assured that they were. However, I have discovered 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 affected,” President Alvi expressed.
Up until now, the President House has not released a statement in response to President Alvi’s claims.
Both bills had been approved by the Senate and National Assembly and were sent to the president for his approval a few weeks ago, amidst criticism by opposition lawmakers.
Amendments Made to the Laws
One of the amendments made to the Official Secrets Act is the creation of a new offense for the unauthorized disclosure of the identities of members of intelligence agencies, informants, or sources. This offense would be punishable by up to three years in jail and a fine of up to Rs10 million.
The amendments to the Army Act allow for the punishment of up to five years of rigorous imprisonment for anyone found guilty of disclosing information acquired in an official capacity, which could be prejudicial to the security and interests of Pakistan or the armed forces.
The amended law also grants more powers to the army chief, prohibits ex-servicemen from engaging in politics or ventures conflicting with the army’s interests, and proposes imprisonment for defamation of the army. It also prohibits any person subject to the Army Act from participating in any political activity for two years from their retirement or release from service.
Recent Developments and Reactions
President Alvi’s statement comes a day after the arrest of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi in connection with an FIR registered under the Official Secrets Act against former foreign minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
Last week, President Alvi returned over a dozen bills to Parliament for reconsideration. These bills had been passed by both houses of Parliament during the previous government’s term. Notable among the returned bills are those related to the punishment for disrespecting religious figures, protection of journalists, and amendments to the Higher Education Commission (HEC) bill.
The developments have been described as “extremely shocking” by PTI leader Farrukh Habib, who called on the lawyers’ community to stand up for the supremacy of the constitution. Former finance minister Ishaq Dar expressed disbelief at the president’s remarks and called for his resignation, citing his failure to effectively run his office.