President Alvi rejects leakage of judge’s reference contents

ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday strongly rebuffed that the contents of a reference against a judge of the Supreme Court were leaked from the Aiwan-e-Sadr as he had held 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, judge of the Supreme Court, moved by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

To a question in that regard 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 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 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 during the prime minister’s visit, comprehensive talks were held on the peaceful resolution of the Afghan issue. Pakistan had assured the US about making all out efforts to bring Taliban to hold dialogue for the peaceful solution of the issue, he said adding, 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 particularly that war was no solution to the issues as it was easy to flare up the conflicts without any end in the 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 PTI’s motive of transforming the country into modern, Islamic and welfare state.

President Alvi said that he had regular interaction with the opposition parties. In response to a question, he said media had a greater role than any other organ in the country to bring about social change by highlighting the social issues. The media should show the people the difference between the good and bad. It should further enhance its role and play its effective part in the national building, he added.

The president informed that he had asked Pemra to provide him ranking of those TV channels concentrating on the social issues, so that they could be awarded.

To another question, he said the process for the plea bargain as envisaged under the National 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 Malik Riaz, the property tycoon.

The president also advocated women’s inheritance rights by saying that relevant laws were not being implemented. Recommendations in that regard had been forwarded to the Islamic Ideology Council, he said, adding religious elements, media and the prayers leaders should also play their respective roles in that regard.

About International Court of Justice’s decision on convicted Indian spy Kulbhushan Jadhav, the president said that the Attorney General for Pakistan and 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.

The president said 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 MQM had changed itself and only the time would prove it how much the party had reformed itself. He stressed upon televising of special programmes at the 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 the welfare work.