President Alvi says he did not assent to bills on Army Act, Official Secrets law

President Arif Alvi on Sunday denied approving changes to the Pakistan Army Act and the Official Secrets Act.

In a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), Dr Alvi said: “As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, 2023 as I disagreed with these laws.”

The president said he asked his staff to return the bills unsigned within the stipulated time to make them “uneffective”.

“I confirmed from them many times that whether they have been returned and was assured that they were. However, I have found out 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,” the president said.

So far, the President House has not released a statement.

Dr Alvi had purportedly given his assent to the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 on Saturday.

Both the bills were approved by the Senate and National Assembly and sent to the president for his approval amid criticism by opposition lawmakers a few weeks ago.

The Senate Secretariat is said to have issued a notification stating that the two bills were “deemed to have been assented by the president”.

According to the notification, the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 was deemed to have been approved by the president with effect from August 17 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 from August 11. The president’s statement follows hot on the heels of arrest of PTI vice chairman and former foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was detained in connection with a first information report registered on Aug 15 under the Official Secrets Act against Mr Qureshi and PTI’s chairman Imran Khan. – news agencies