A statement issued by the president office recommends that Ms. Humaira Ahmed, a BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, be appointed as the new Secretary to the President."
ISLAMABAD: (UrduPoint/Pakistan Point News-August 21st, 2023) Following President Dr. Arif Alvi's assertion that his staff undermined his authority in relation to his approval of the Official Secrets Act and the Pakistan Army Act, the President's Secretariat announced the dismissal of Secretary to President, Waqar Ahmed, and the search for a replacement.
"In light of yesterday's clear statement, the President's Secretariat has communicated to the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister that the services of Mr. Waqar Ahmed, Secretary to the President, are no longer required and are relinquished to the Establishment Division with immediate effect," stated an official message posted on the official account of the President of Pakistan on X .
The statement further indicated, "It has also been recommended that Ms. Humaira Ahmed, a BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service, be appointed as the new Secretary to the President."
President Alvi stirred controversy by asserting on Sunday that he had not personally signed two contested pieces of legislation, the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2023, a day after they were ratified by parliament. Both bills had been approved by the Senate and National Assembly and transmitted to the president for approval amidst criticism by opposition lawmakers a few weeks earlier.
The president's claims led to a flurry of counter-claims and allegations, prompting a press conference by caretaker ministers for law and information over the weekend. The former ruling party, PTI, also engaged in a series of recriminations.
In a tweet on X, President Alvi pointed the finger at his staff, asserting that he was misled by his presidential team who failed to return the "unsigned" bills despite repeated directives. He expressed, "I confirm that I did not sign the Official Secrets Amendment Bill, 2023, and Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, 2023, as I disagreed with these laws."
He disclosed that he had instructed his staff to return the bills unsigned within the stipulated timeframe to render them ineffective. However, his staff did not comply and falsely claimed that the bills had been returned.
"I repeatedly confirmed whether the bills had been returned and received assurances that they were. However, I have now discovered that my staff acted against my will and authority. As Allah is my witness, He will forgive, Insha'Allah. But I seek forgiveness from those who will be affected," the president conveyed on X.
Shortly after President Alvi's statement, a gazette notification from the Senate Secretariat surfaced, affirming that the two bills were considered to have received the president's assent.
According to the notification, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was deemed approved by the president from August 17, and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023, from August 11.
Section 6-A of the secrets act introduces a new offense of unauthorized disclosure of intelligence agency members' identities, informants, or sources. This offense carries a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of up to Rs10 million.
The Army Act facilitates the punishment of up to five years' imprisonment for anyone who discloses information acquired in an official capacity that is or may be detrimental to Pakistan's security or the armed forces' interests.
An amendment in the act grants increased authority to the army chief and prohibits ex-servicemen from engaging in politics or conflicting ventures with the army's interests. The amendment also proposes imprisonment for defaming the army.
The new law also forbids any individual subject to the army act from participating in any form of political activity for two years following their "retirement, release, resignation, discharge, removal, or dismissal from service."
President Alvi's statement on Sunday followed the detention of PTI Vice Chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi, linked to an FIR filed on August 15 under the Official Secrets Act against former foreign minister and PTI Chairman Imran Khan.
The case was initiated after the American news outlet The Intercept published a diplomatic cable allegedly missing from Imran's possession. Imran, who was interrogated by the Federal Investigation Agency a few days prior due to the cipher case in Attock jail, where he was imprisoned following his conviction in the Toshakhana case, claimed he was ousted from office as part of a "US conspiracy." PTI contends that the cipher contained a US threat to remove Imran from power.
Last week, the president returned over a dozen bills for Parliament's reconsideration. These bills had been passed by both parliamentary houses toward the end of the PML-N-led government's term, and their fate will be determined after general elections, once a new National Assembly is established.
