PPP, PMLN, ANP demand president quit

ISLAMABAD: Three major political parties, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN) and Awami National Party (ANP), have sought the resignation of President Dr Arif Alvi after his statement on the issue of signing of two important bills.

Faisal Karim Kundi, a spokesman for the PPP, responded by calling the incident unfortunate and lamenting the fact that the president apologised 24 hours after it was reported in the media that he had signed the bills. “In my opinion, such a person is unfit to hold the office and he is unaware of what is taking place and unaware of his bypassers,” the PPP leader claimed.

PPP Vice President Sherry Rehman said in a statement that the revelation cast doubts on Alvi’s capacity to serve as the president. She questioned: “Is he trying to say that someone else signed the bills under his nose? If so, the president should resign”.

Senator Mian Raza Rabbani said an action against President Arif Alvi should be taken under the Constitution and law if he was found guilty of misrepresenting facts. He said the revelations made by President Alvi via tweet had raised more questions of fact than law, and inquiry into facts should be conducted by a committee comprising all members of Senate of Pakistan.

“The President and his staff concerned should appear before the Senate,” he said after President Alvi denied signing the Official Secrets Amendment bill 2023 and Pakistan Army Amendment Act 2023.

PPP Secretary General Nayyer Hussain Bokhari demanded a medical examination of President Alvi, saying that his tweet was a question mark on his mental condition.

Former finance minister and PMLN Senator Ishaq Dar called Dr Arif Alvi’s statement unbelievable. He demanded his resignation in a post on the social media platform X.

Meanwhile, ANP Provincial President Aimal Wali Khan said on Sunday President Dr Arif Alvi had made his personality and the august office controversial by making a statement which he termed irresponsible.

In a statement issued here, he asked why President Alvi was sitting in the President House if he had no control over his own staff.

“If your own staff is not under your control, then what you (president) are doing in the President’s House,” the ANP leader asked. The ANP leader advised President Alvi to quit with honour instead of making himself a tool.