Secretary urges Alvi to reconsider removal amid bills controversy

Waqar Ahmed says president’s decision not based on justice, can produce record to prove innocence

ISLAMABAD:

In a letter written to President Dr Arif Alvi, Secretary Waqar Ahmed has asked the president to reconsider his decision of removing him from his post, urging him to initiate an investigation into the matter through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or any other agency.

The move comes after the President’s Secretariat earlier in the day wrote to the principal secretary to the prime minister that the services of serving secretary to the president were no more required.

"The services of Mr Waqar Ahmed, Secretary to the President, are no more required and are surrendered to the Establishment Division, immediately," read a statement issued by the President’s Secretariat.

"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.

This development came a day after president Alvi claimed that he had not signed the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, attributing the confusion to his staff's actions. This revelation plunged the country into a state of chaos.

Read more: Alvi removes presidential secretary over bills controversy

Ahmed, in his letter today, said that he aimed to clarify certain facts. "I want to set the record straight that I am not responsible for any irregularities regarding the bills," he asserted.

He claimed that contrary to allegations of delay and insubordination, the documents pertaining to the bills are still present within the presidential chambers.

"The decision to surrender my services isn't based on justice," Ahmed stated, saying that the president did not approve or send back the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill to the parliament.

He stated that the files related to the bill were not returned to the secretary's office until August 21.

Ahmed urged the president to initiate an investigation into the matter through the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) or any relevant agency to uncover any misconduct.

He stressed that if any wrongdoing is proven, those responsible should be held accountable. "I am prepared to testify before the Supreme Court or any other court. I will present record to establish my innocence,” he said.

Read: Official Secrets, Army Act amendment bills become law

He clarified that the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, was received by the Presidency on August 8 after the official hours, adding that it was forwarded to the president on August 9. "The President is fully aware of the facts surrounding both bills," Ahmed affirmed.

Under Article 75 of the Constitution, the president has to approve a bill within 10 days, and under the same provision, he can send a bill back to the parliament for reconsideration within the same amount of days.

However, he added, the president neither approved the bill nor sent it back to the parliament and it remained in the president’s office until August 21.

Meanwhile, sources from within the Presidential Secretariat have disclosed that president Alvi, in response to the concerns raised by Ahmed, sent back files of both bills back to the parliament.

They further revealed that the BPS-22 officer of the Pakistan Administrative Service Humaira Ahmed has also excused herself from taking up the position of the president’s secretary.