KARACHI: Even as President Dr Arif Alvi protested that his remarks regarding the cipher, which former prime minister Imran Khan has touted as proof of a foreign conspiracy against his erstwhile government, had been “grossly misquoted and wrongly highlighted”, the government made it clear that he had no role in the appointment of the army chief under the Constitution.

A statement issued by the Presidency on Tuesday regarding President Alvi’s interview with Asma Shirazi, broadcast a day earlier, said “the president clearly said that he had suspicions about a conspiracy but of course, certainty could only be established after a thorough investigation was done.”

The statement mentioned that “his position has not changed at all since he sent a letter to the chief justice wherein he requested the Supreme Court for a thorough inquiry into the matter as he strongly believed that the issue must be investigated.”

During the interview, he had also desired to play a constitutional role in the process for the appointment of the next army chief, saying that there was precedent for such consultation.

Alvi regrets being misquoted regarding ‘doubts on foreign conspiracy’

However, reacting to his remarks, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarrar made it clear on Tuesday that there was no room for his involvement in the process.

“The president doesn’t have any role under the Constitution in the appointment of the army chief,” Geo News quoted Mr Tarrar as saying.

The minister said that President Alvi was trying to politicise the matter to please interests that were contrary to the president’s role, as per the Constitution.

Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2022