Pakistan President Arif Alvi has denied approving two controversial bills that would enhance the military’s powers. In a post on Twitter, he stated that he returned the bills unsigned, but his staff “undermined my will.” The two laws would make it an offense to reveal the identities of military intelligence officers and propose jail terms for defaming the army.
President Alvi’s denial raises questions about the legality of the laws, but Pakistan’s interim law minister, Ahmed Irfan Aslam, argued that the president had the option of giving assent to the bills or referring them to parliament with specific observations. Aslam claimed that Alvi purposely delayed the assent and returned the bills with neither assent nor observations. Since the signed bills were not received from the president after 10 days, they automatically became law, according to Aslam.
The disputed bills were sent to President Alvi before parliament was dissolved on August 9, with elections originally scheduled for November. However, the polls have been postponed to February as the electoral commission stated that electoral boundaries needed to be redrawn based on fresh census data. Pakistan is currently under a caretaker government.
The passage of the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill sparked heated debate in the National Assembly earlier this month. The former bill recommends a three-year jail term and a fine of up to 10 million rupees for disclosing the identity of intelligence officials, informants, or sources, while the latter imposes a jail term of up to five years for revealing sensitive information related to national security. Opposition parties and coalition partners of the ruling party criticized the government for passing the “draconian laws in haste” and without discussion.
The laws have already been used to arrest some opposition members, including PTI vice chair Shah Mehmood Qureshi, who was detained under the Official Secrets Act for challenging the postponement of the elections during a press conference. The PTI, along with other opposition parties, plans to take the disputed bills to the Supreme Court. They have also expressed their “complete support” for President Alvi.
Human rights organizations have long accused Pakistani intelligence services of illegally detaining opposition members, politicians, activists, and journalists. The increasing number of enforced disappearances each month has caused concern among human rights advocates. The PTI, led by former prime minister Imran Khan, has been targeted since Khan’s arrest in May, with many key leaders being given jail sentences on various charges.
The controversy surrounding these bills further highlights the ongoing political tensions and power struggles in Pakistan. The president’s denial adds another layer of complexity to the situation, with the legality of the laws now in question. The future of these bills and their potential impact on civil liberties and freedom of speech will likely be determined by the courts and the Supreme Court’s involvement in the coming months.