Gazette notifications of Army Act, Secrets Law issued after controversy

ISLAMABAD: Hours after President Arif Alvi denied signing two pivotal bills, the gazette notifications of Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023, becoming law have been issued, ARY News reported on Sunday.

According to details, the gazette notifications – copies of which are available with ARY News – were dated August 18 (Friday).

The notification stated that the acts – forwarded by Majlis-e-Shoora [Parliament] – were “deemed to have been assented by President Dr Arif Alvi”.

The bills were published as laws in the Gazette of Pakistan and were dated August 18, 2023.

Earlier in the day, President Arif Alvi denied signing Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill, 2023 as he “disagreed with these laws”.

In a post on social media platform X, Alvi said: “As God is my witness, I did not sign Official Secrets Amendment Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Amendment Bill, 2023 as I disagreed with these laws.”

The president said he asked his staff to return the bills unsigned within the stipulated time to make them “uneffective”.

“I confirmed from them many times that whether they have been returned and was assured that they were. However, I have found out today that my staff undermined my will and command. As Allah knows all, He will forgive Insha’Allah. But I ask forgiveness from those who will be affected,” the president said.

According to ARY News report, President Arif Alvi on August 19 [Saturday] signed the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023 and Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill 2023.

Both the bills were passed by the parliament during the tenure of the coalition government and were sent to President Alvi for ratification.

‘Bills became law after non-objection from President’

Earlier in the day, Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam said that a bill automatically assumes the status of law if the president neither approves nor rejects a bill within a 10-day timeframe.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the caretaker law minister claimed that Official Secrets Act and the Pakistan Army Act were not received by his ministry from the Aiwan-e-Sadr [President’s House].

“President Alvi had the option to raise objections to the bills within the stipulated timeframe but chose not to, leading to the automatic enactment of the bills into law,” Ahmed Irfan Aslam stated.

He pointed out that the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill was received by the Presidential Palace on August 2, while the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill reached the president on August 8.

“The president had only two choices: to approve the bills or send them back with objections. No third option exists, and if the bills are not returned, they become law automatically within ten days,” he added.