ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court was approached on Saturday seeking the removal of Dr Arif Alvi as President of Pakistan, allegedly for not acting in accordance with the responsibilities of the highest office and being biased.

The petition, moved by Ghulam Murtaza Khan in person, alleged that the president has been evasive in performing his constitutional obligations.

“He has violated the Constitution and committed gross misconduct, therefore, he is not eligible to continue his duties as the president and needs to be declared that he should not continue as president of Pakistan,” the petitioner said.

“Being the head of the State, he is under constitutional obligation to work in accordance with law but he was misusing the powers and violating the Constitution continuously by his words and conducts,” he alleged.

Petition alleges ‘bias, misuse of powers and Constitution’s violation’

Mr Khan argued that the president represents the entire nation throughout the world; therefore, he should fulfil this responsibility patriotically, with loyalty and devotion. The president should not have been representing any political party, which is very evident that he is representing and portraying one party, i.e., the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), the petition alleged.

The petitioner also cited the example of the April 2022 dissolution of the National Assembly on the instructions of former prime minister Imran Khan — an action which, according to the petitioner, has ruined the entire political scenario of the country and damaged the image of Pakistan internationally.

Still, the president dissolved the assembly, though the Supreme Court set aside the same by overturning the ruling of the deputy speaker to dismiss the then no-trust resolution against Imran Khan and the subsequent dissolution of the assembly by the president.

The petitioner contended that it was the responsibility of the president to ensure peace within the country and when the president is representing the entire country, he cannot act in a biased or subjective manner by favouring a particular political party.

He said President Alvi misused his powers by using his office to allegedly support PTI and his office was allegedly being used for the meetings or activities of the party. This act of the president was also unconstitutional and biased towards the whole nation, the petitioner said.

He alleged that the role of the president is like a father who protects all of his children equally. He represents the whole nation as head of the state; therefore, his interest and actions should be very clear towards the betterment, development, welfare, prestige, peace and prosperity of the country.

It also referred to the president’s act of not assenting the Official Secrets Amendment Bill and the Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, which the petitioner believed was a grave misconduct and reflected a partial stance.

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Moreover, the president, on various occasions, contradicts his position by making controversial statements. Recently, he tweeted about the military court and Official Secret Act, which has been confirmed by his secretary that the files were with the president.

These acts have made the character of the president very distrustful for the whole nation because he violated the provisions of Article 5 and 12 of the Constitution, the petitioner said.

President Alvi also gave a statement that Muslims and Christians could live together in the Israel-Palestine conflict against the set foreign policy of Pakistan, the petitioner alleged.

Hence, the president had been evasive in performing his constitutional obligations as he has violated the Constitution and committed gross misconduct; therefore, he was not eligible to continue his duties as the president, and it needs to be declared that he is not to be continued as a president, the petitioner said.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2023