Don’t accept Alvi as president, says Asif

Defence minister claims president is ignorant about jurisprudence

Amid tensions between the legislature and the head of state over vetting of electoral and accountability bills, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday refused to acknowledge Dr Arif Alvi as the president.

Speaking at a television programme, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader was responding to a question pertaining to the president’s refusal to sign bills amending the electoral and accountability laws.

Read Electoral reforms become law without president’s assent

In view of the accountability bill, the anchorperson asked him about where the burden of proof would lie with regard to a corruption accusation. The minister said that the responsibility lay with the accuser, rather than the accused, adding that it was in accordance with jurisprudence.

He also said that he does not acknowledge Alvi as the president, prompting a shocked response from the anchorperson.

“Does it matter if you do not acknowledge him as the president?” he asked. “He is the president of Pakistan, he is the commander-in-chief of the armed forces, and you are the defence minister.”

“I do not accept,” Asif replied, adding that Alvi does not know anything about the law.

The conversation went on for a while until the anchorperson once again said that Alvi is the supreme commander of the armed forces, and Asif is the defence minister within the same set-up.