Pakistan President sacks secretary amid ‘I didn’t signal the payments’ controversy
2 min readPakistan President Arif Alvi sacked his secretary on Monday, a day after he stated he didn’t personally signal two key payments and had instructed his employees to return them unsigned inside the stipulated time to make them ineffective.
President Alvi on Sunday denied that he signed the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 after the native media reported that the president had signed the 2 payments that turned legal guidelines.
The President’s Secretariat stated in a press release that Alvi requested for the substitute of Secretary Waqar Ahmed whose companies have been “no more required”.
“In view of the definite statement of yesterday, President’s Secretariat has written a letter to Principal Secretary to Prime Minister that the services of Mr Waqar Ahmed, Secretary to President, are no more required and are surrendered to the Establishment Division, immediately,” the assertion stated.
The president additionally requested that Humaira Ahmed, a BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, could also be posted as Secretary to the President, learn the assertion.
The removing of Waqar comes a day after President Alvi stated posted on X: “I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, 2023 as I disagreed with these laws”.
“I requested my employees to return the payments unsigned inside the stipulated time to make them ineffective. I confirmed from them many instances whether or not they have been returned & was assured that they have been. However, I’ve came upon as we speak that my employees undermined my will and command. As Allah is aware of all, He will forgive IA (InshaAllah). But I ask forgiveness…,” stated Alvi, who’s from jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf occasion.
The unprecedented claims by the president precipitated a furore with many looking for motion.
Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chief Babar Awan in a video message requested Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial to take suo moto motion.
He stated that the president of the nation was the top of state, part of Parliament and the supreme commander of the armed forces whereas the nation’s agreements have been additionally made utilizing his identify.
“A very serious crime has taken place,” he stated, including that this amounted to “constitutional insubordination” which might fall beneath Article 6 (excessive treason).
Pakistan’s former overseas minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, a detailed aide of jailed former prime minister Khan, was arrested from his residence in Islamabad on Sunday right here beneath the Official Secrets Act in reference to the leakage of a confidential diplomatic cable.
The Pakistan authorities on Monday established a particular courtroom to listen to instances filed beneath the Official Secrets Act and Qureshi was offered earlier than it for the listening to of the cipher case registered in opposition to him beneath the stringent legislation.
Published On:
Aug 22, 2023
