PTI govt to complete mandated term: President Arif Alvi
PTI govt to complete mandated term: President
ISLAMABAD (APP) - President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said there was no threat to the government or democracy, and he was confident that the present democratic set-up would complete its mandated term.
In an interview with a private television channel, the president said the opposition’s complaints about the government were not a matter of concern, however, “talking about the country’s institutions in such a way and criticizing them is unfortunate.”
“Because it is my country and these are our institutions. And degrading our institutions is unfair,” he remarked. The president further said there should not be any efforts to malign the state institutions.
To a question about legislative business, he said the ordinances issued by the present government were far less in number than the ones issued by the previous Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz (PML-N) regimes.
He maintained that the Constitution provided the government with a space to issue ordinances for essential legislative requirements for six months. However, he was confident that the government’s legislative business in the parliament would get boost after the Senate elections in March next.
The president appreciated the judiciary for their efforts against corruption. “I salute the judiciary for their efforts to eliminate corruption,” he remarked.
About corruption and accountability, President Alvi said though the accused in some criminal cases were considered innocent until proven guilty, but in financial crimes like “assets beyond means” the situation was different and the accused have to prove their innocence.
He in that respect also referred to the laws of various countries, including the “Unexplained Wealth Order” of the United Kingdom, and similar legislation in the Switzerland that bound the accused to prove his innocence.
The president said the Islamic laws also required the accused to prove his innocence in financial matters. Accountability was the part of any government, he added.
To a question, the president said he was highly satisfied over the government’s performance, citing the reduced inflation, besides ensuring economic activity even despite the coronavirus pandemic.
He lauded the discipline and cooperation by the people, media and Ulema during the COVID-19, but also advised the masses not to give up the precautions.
Asked about the government’s decisions to bring PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif back, he said he had gone abroad on medical grounds citing the platelets issue. However, he does not know whether Nawaz was admitted in any hospital or not, and urged the opposition leader to face the court case and fulfill the commitments made with the courts.
He said the maligning of national institutions by any Pakistani sitting abroad would appease the enemy country like India.
Commenting on the ongoing debate regarding Gilgit-Baltistan, he said the issue must not be seen through political prism rather all the political parties must show unity to resolve the matter at the earliest..
Asked to comment on the proposals for chemical castration or death sentence for the rapists, President Alvi said the chemical castration alone was not a solution. It was not a one-time procedure rather required life-long administration of medicines to the culprits. The issue needed a long term solution, which should be worked out by both the Parliament as well as the Council of Islamic Ideology.
About the Federal Government’s Rs 1,100 billion development package for Karachi, he hoped that it would help resolve the development issues like completion of K-4, Karachi Circular Railway, water supply, garbage collection and sewage projects.
He, however, urged both the PPP and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf not to compromise Karachi’s development amidst political differences rather show unity for betterment of its people.
