ISLAMABAD, Aug 21 (dna): The Principal Secretary Waqar Ahmed Monday
responded to ‘allegations’ regarding the bills signing controversy in a
letter to President Dr Arif Alvi.
President Dr Arif Alvi’s Principal Secretary Waqar Ahmed termed all
allegations against him as ‘baseless’ and offered to conduct an inquiry
into the matter.
In his letter, Ahmed stated that the president’s statement created an
impression of irregularities in the signing process of the bills. He
requested President Dr Arif Alvi to hold an inquiry into the bills
signing controversy through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to
ascertain the responsible persons.
He told the president that he is fully aware of facts regarding both
bills [Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Act
(Amendment) Bill, 2023].
Waqar Ahmed clarified that he has no role in making any delay or
neglecting the president’s orders and he is ready to record his
statement. He demanded the president to withdraw orders for transferring
his services to the Establishment Division.
He revealed in his letter that President Alvi did not issue any written
order regarding the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan
Army Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023. He added that he wrote the letter to
publicise the facts.
The principal secretary claimed that the president has neither signed
the bills not issued a written order to return the bills unsigned. He
further revealed that both bills were not received by the secretary’s
office till today.
Prior to Ahmed’s letter today, the President’s Secretariat said the
services of Secretary Waqar Ahmed were “no more required”.
“In view of the definite statement of yesterday, President’s Secretariat
has written a letter to Principal Secretary to Prime Minister that the
services of Mr Waqar Ahmed, Secretary to President, are no more required
and are surrendered to the Establishment Division, immediately,” said a
statement posted by the President of Pakistan’s official account on X.
“It has also been desired that Ms Humaira Ahmed, a BPS-22 officer of the
Pakistan Administrative Service, may be posted as Secretary to the
President,” the statement added.
President Alvi created a stir on Sunday by claiming that he had not
signed the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army
(Amendment) Bill — a day after they became acts of parliament, as he
“disagreed with these laws”.
Arif Alvi took to X, formerly known as Twitter, Arif Alvi said God is
his witness that he did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 &
Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as he disagreed with these laws.
“I asked my staff to return the bills unsigned within stipulated time to
make them ineffective. I confirmed from them many times that whether
they have been returned & 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 IA. But I ask forgiveness from those who will
be effected,” Arif said in his post on X.
A day before his tweet, it was reported that President Alvi had signed
the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Act
(Amendment) Bill, 2023.
