ISLAMABAD, Aug 20 (APP): The Ministry of Law and Justice on Sunday while expressing grave concern over a post of President Dr Arif Alvi (on X) regarding Official Secrets Act and Pakistan Army Amendment Bills 2023, clarified that Article 75 of the Constitution provided two options to the president either to give assent or refer the legislation back to parliament with observations, but in the instant matter, the constitutional course was not adopted.
In the instant matter, it said, neither of the requirements were fulfilled. Instead, the president purposely delayed the assent, the ministry said in a press release.
“Returning the bills without any observations or assent is not provided for in the Constitution. Such a course of action is against the letter and spirit of the constitution,” it was further added.
The ministry said as per Article 75 of the Constitution, when a Bill was sent for assent, the president had two options: either to give assent, or refer the matter to the parliament with specific observations. ‘Article 75 did not provide for any third option’.
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If the president had any observations, he could have returned the bills with his observations like he did in the recent and distant past and he could have also issued a press release to that effect, it was stressed.
“It is a matter of concern that the President has chosen to discredit his own officials. The President should take responsibility for his own actions,” the ministry further maintained.
