President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday strongly rebuffed rumours that the content of a reference against a judge of the Supreme Court was leaked from the Presidency, as he had held a thorough investigation into it.
In an interview with a private TV channel, he explained that he had received the reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, the judge of the Supreme Court, moved by the Ministry of Law and Justice.
To a question, the president further elaborated that after receiving the reference, he had three options over its disposal. First to sit over it like those who used such things for blackmailing (threats), second for holding a media trial, and the third one to proceed in accordance with relevant laws, he said.
He said that he preferred the legal one by sending the presidential reference to the Supreme Judicial Council (SJC) under the specific laws and expressed the confidence that the SJC would decide it in accordance with the law.
To another question, the president credited Prime Minister Imran Khan for effectively representing Pakistan’s stance on various issues, including a peaceful resolution to the Afghan issue, during his visit to the United States.
He said that during the prime minister’s visit, comprehensive talks were held on the peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue.
Pakistan had assured the US of making all-out efforts to bring the Taliban to hold a dialogue for the peaceful solution of the issue, he said, adding that the US wanted a peaceful exit from Afghanistan and afterward, Pakistan could assist in the rehabilitation and restructuring efforts.
The president, to a question, said the prime minister had already reminded the world and the US that war was no solution to the issues, as it was easy to flare up the conflicts without any end in sight. President Trump thought out of the box, which was his quality, he added.
Parting ways with the transactional ties, the prime minister rightly projected that Pakistan wanted to live among the comity of nations with dignity and self-respect, which also correlated with the PTI’s motive of transforming the country into a modern, Islamic and welfare state, he said.
President Alvi said that he had regular interaction with the opposition parties.
In response to a question, he said the media had a greater role than any other organ in the country to bring about social change by highlighting social issues.
“The media should show the people the difference between the good and the bad. It should further enhance its role and play its effective part in the nation-building,” he added.
The president said that he had asked the PEMRA to provide him ranking of those TV channels concentrating on social issues so that they could be awarded.
To another question, he said the process for the plea bargain as envisaged under the accountability law must be more open and should not be reached behind the closed doors. To make his point, the president cited a decision of the Supreme Court in which it opted for an offer over land encroachment case with property tycoon Malik Riaz.
The president also advocated for women’s right to inheritance by saying that relevant laws were not being implemented. Recommendations in that regard had been forwarded to the Islamic Ideology Council, he said, adding that religious elements, the media and the prayers leaders should also play their respective roles in that regard.
About the International Court of Justice’s decision on convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the president said that the attorney general of Pakistan and the people in the Law Ministry had the opinion that consular access should have been provided to him. The ICJ held the same, which was expected, he said.
The president said that being an ordinary man, he wanted promotion of new technology in Pakistan and would like to work for provision of health facilities and ensuring women’s hereditary rights, besides making efforts aimed at catering to the needs of the special people.
He opined that the MQM had changed itself and only the time would prove how much the party had reformed itself.
He stressed the need for televising special programmes on the state-run PTV for those people who were suffering from hearing impairment.
The president, to a query, said that he and his spouse had learnt many things from Imran Khan and his wife, including their passion for welfare work.
