Bill’s timing could have been better, says Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi Wednesday stressed that he always played his role in the resolution of national issues and in the current situation was ready for a ‘crisis resolution role’.

In an interview with Geo News host Hamid Mir, the president, to a query regarding approval of the judicial reforms bill, replied, “I think the timing could have been better. [Perhaps], it should have happened before as [passing this bill during a political] crisis raises a question mark on its timing.”

Alvi said he had heard different analyses, and according to them “there was some need to streamline how the Supreme Court conducts itself.” He said opinions to this effect arose from within the apex court. “This discussion was taking place within the Supreme Court for many days, so this matter should be settled by taking it (apex court) into confidence,” the president added. Responding to another question, the president said he would take the right decision on the said bill after receiving the final document. He said the pressure on institutions led to cracks and stressed that the Constitution should not be disfigured. “These cracks of trouble are visible in all institutions today. There is space to compromise in every situation.” The president regretted that in the past, the 1973 Constitution was wrapped after four years of its enforcement.

He observed that in the current situation, division of thinking was apparent whether it was within the political parties, parliament or judiciary and underlined that they all should strive to save Pakistan and the Constitution. He expressed the hope that “the judges will cooperate with one another as there does not seem to be consensus in their verdicts when their internal circumstances come to light, and then the nation quarrels over their decisions.”

To another question, he said the difference of opinion in the judiciary was possible as witnessed in the United States and the United Kingdom but he stressed, personality-based differences were not good.

Regarding a question about the Election Commission of Pakistan’s decision to set a new date for polls in Punjab, the president said the Supreme Court was seized with the issue and would decide it. But after listening and reading media reports, he wondered if the holding of election depended upon the issues.

He further added that if polls were not held within 90 days, the concerned institutions should accept the responsibility for the delay. In the tussle between the democratic forces, there might be opportunities for the undemocratic forces, he added.

About the prime minister’s letter in response to his earlier letter, the president maintained that due to the responsibility of his office, he could not remain ‘deaf and dumb’ regarding the recent human rights incidents as highlighted by the media. He said during the tenure of the previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, he had talked to the then minister for human rights over such issues as he could not ignore them. He agreed that the rights issues during 2021 were not good and they grew more in the succeeding year.

Talking about his audio leak, the president trashed it as irrelevant and said he had been advocating for respecting people’s privacy and encroaching on individuals’ privacy as unethical, immoral and illegal as it fell into ‘Gheebat’.

The president said polarization in society was too dangerous and he wanted to reduce it. Referring to his past role in defusing political tensions, the president said he could not succeed in his efforts.

Alvi said the present chief of army staff’s statement regarding the military’s role provided a window for the politicians to work collectively for the democratic system.

Expressing his concerns, the president said the federal and provincial governments could not announce awards for any individual under relevant constitutional provisions, as it was a prerogative of the president. He said he had raised the issue during the PTI’s tenure. Citing the unanimous adoption of the 1973 Constitution, the president said it reflected the ‘brilliance of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’.

In a comment, he agreed that the disqualification of politicians or political parties was no solution to the issues. He said he always credited former president Asif Ali Zardari for raising the slogan of ‘Pakistan Khappay’ after the assassination of Benazir Bhutto as nothing could save the country from another serious crisis at that time. He further observed that the lives of all politicians were precious and they should be provided protection. The president observed that the use of force could give rise to issues and in democratic countries, issues were addressed through consensus.