Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif Saturday castigated President Arif Alvi for returning Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023, unsigned and called him a worker of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf. “President Alvi returning the Supreme Court Bill duly passed by Parliament is most unfortunate,” the prime minister said in a hard-hitting tweet hours after the president returned the bill to the legislature.
The president has, since the formation of the Pakistan Democratic Movement’s government in April last year, returned bills and also refused to administer the oath to several members of the federal cabinet, including PM Shehbaz.
Alvi has sought the advice of PTI Chairman Imran Khan — who was ousted as the prime minister in April last year — on several crucial matters, including the appointment of the chief of army staff.
In the tweet, the prime minister said the president has belittled his office through his actions as he follows the PTI chief’s orders rather than fulfilling his constitutional duties.
“Through his conduct, he has belittled the august Office by acting as a worker of the PTI, one who is beholden to Imran Niazi more than the Constitution & demands of his Office,” he added.
