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| Arif Alvi further said that Allah knows everything, I apologize to all those who will be affected by these bills, I did not sign these bills. — File Photo |
President Dr Arif Alvi has said that he has not signed the Official Secret Act and the Army Act Amendment Bills.
"I do not agree with the Official Secret Act and the Army Act Amendment Bill," President Arif Alvi said in a statement on X(Twitter) in English and Urdu. "I confirmed to the staff several times that the bills had been sent back without a signature, but I learned today that my staff had hurt my will and order", he said.
Arif Alvi further said that Allah knows everything, I apologize to all those who will be affected by these bills, I did not sign these bills.As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill 2023 & Pakistan Army Amendment Bill 2023 as I disagreed with these laws. I asked my staff to return the bills unsigned within stipulated time to make them ineffective. I confirmed from them many times that…
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) August 20, 2023
Yesterday, it was reported in the Pakistani media that President Arif Alvi has signed the Official Secret Act and the Army Act Amendment Bill, and both the bills have become laws.
What are these bills about?
The Army Act establishes the provision for imposing a maximum sentence of five years of rigorous imprisonment on any individual found guilty of revealing information obtained in an official capacity that could potentially harm the security and interests of Pakistan or its armed forces.
The amendments to this act would be applicable to both current and retired personnel of the Pakistan Army. This includes various aspects such as the authority to grant commissions, define terms and conditions of service, oversee welfare initiatives, contribute to national development tasks, and address operational and institutional matters, all in accordance with the rulings of the Supreme Court.
The updated version of the Official Secrets Act grants the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) the authority to conduct inquiries into suspected violations of this act.
Furthermore, the revised bill removes the provision that classified individuals engaging with foreign agents as enemies.
A significant addition to the Official Secrets Act of 1923 specifies that within the framework of this act, the role of the Investigation Officer will be fulfilled by an FIA officer holding a rank not lower than BPS-17 or its equivalent. This appointment will be made by the Director General of the FIA. In cases where deemed necessary, the Director General can establish a Joint Investigation Team comprising intelligence agency officers as required.
As per the bill, the Joint Investigation Team is mandated to complete its inquiry within 30 days. Instances related to civil espionage will be investigated by either the FIA or the Joint Investigation Team. It's important to note that an amendment in Clause-B of Section 12 has resulted in the reduction of the penalty for an offense from 14 years to 10 years.
