“Mr President, in the exercise of your functions, you must act on and in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister under clause (1) of Article 48.”
By Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday hit back at President Arif Alvi, accusing him of being partisan toward the coalition government and following dictates of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, instead of a neutral head of the state.
Sharif’s letter came two days after President Alvi accused the premier of using disproportionate force against politicians, political workers, and journalists in recent clashes with former prime minister Imran Khan’s PTI.
Alvi mentioned the “glaring violation” of the fundamental rights of opposition activists to stifle dissenting voices in Pakistan in his letter written to PM Sharif.
The President, who was a member of Khan’s party before assuming the office, had also asked Sharif to direct all authorities to assist the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) in holding the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa elections as per the orders of the Supreme Court.
Pakistan’s election watchdog postponed Punjab polls from April 30 to October 8 on security concerns.
President Alvi termed the decision as a “flagrant violation of the Constitution … by the executive authorities and government departments.”
In his five-page letter, Sharif said he was writing to “set the record of the government straight” and bring the President’s “partisan attitude” on record.
The PM said the President’s communication in parts reads like “a press release of the opposition political party PTI whose one-sided, anti-government views you continue to openly espouse, notwithstanding your constitutional oath/office of President ”.
He questioned why the president had not taken notice of the severe human rights violations that took place under the previous government spearheaded by Khan.
Sharif said the President on several occasions violated his oath, including the order of the dissolution of the National Assembly in April last year on direction of then prime minister Imran Khan, and also his failure to discharge his constitutional duty to give oath to Sharif on his election as the prime minister.
“Despite the foregoing and several other instances, where you actively worked towards undermining a constitutionally elected government, I have made all-out efforts to maintain a good working relationship with you. However, the contents of your letter, its tone, and language have compelled me to respond to it,” he stated in the letter.
Sharif said actions by the law enforcement agencies were in accordance with the law.
“Regrettably and ostensibly due to your party allegiance, you have failed to note the sheer violation of laws, contumacious disregard of court orders, attacking the law enforcement agencies, damaging public property, attempts to create chaos, civil and political unrest, and in short, to bring the country to the brink of economic default and civil war by PTI.”
He said the PTI’s complete disregard of law tarnished the image of Pakistan in the international community and cast negative repercussions on the future of democracy and state of human rights.
He also complained that Alvi as President had not once said anything regarding the conduct of Khan for his “aggressive, rather militant, attitude of a political order in complete defiance of court orders”.
“Regrettably again, you never raised your voice or shared your concerns in the manner that you have in your letter, in the past while the PTI was in power.”
He further stated that Alvi’s reference regarding meaningful consultation between the President and Prime Minister was “out of place”.
“Mr President, in the exercise of your functions, you must act on and in accordance with the advice of the Cabinet or the Prime Minister under clause (1) of Article 48,” he wrote.
On Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by elections, PM Sharif said the government provided every support to the ECP which is an autonomous body and free to decide about election.
“You have not taken note of the effect of conducting elections to these two provinces prior to the general elections to the National Assembly in as much as, organizing and conducting free and fair elections under clause (3) of Article 218 may not be possible with elected provincial governments in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” the prime minister wrote.
“This constitutional distortion has completely escaped your attention, which is quite saddening, given the role of the head of the state that the Constitution assigns to the President,” Sharif added.
Sharif said he was “fully aware” of his duties, asserting that his government was fully committed to preserving, protecting, and defending the Constitution but would not allow anyone to violate the law or create unrest.
Sharif pointed out that the constitution does not grant any powers to the president to seek an explanation from the prime minister.
“The only reason I am responding to your letter as I want to bring your partisan attitude and actions on record and to set the record of our government straight,” he wrote.
“In very limited instances, the President acts in his discretion under the Constitution,” Sharif wrote. “Article 46 and Rule 15(5)(6) supra are what they ordain. That is, keep the President informed. Nothing more and nothing less.”
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