No chance of martial law in Pakistan: President Alvi

ISLAMABAD: President Arif Alvi on Wednesday said that the country has matured as a democracy and there is no chance of martial law in Pakistan, ARY News reported.

Speaking on ARY News programme ‘The Reporters’, the President hailed Pakistan Army’s decision to remain apolitical and said the decision will help enhance its prestige in the long term.

Regarding the appointment of new Chief of Army Staff (COAS), President Alvi said that the matters were resolved amicably. “My thinking in this regard was that a consultation should be held with every stakeholder,” he said, adding that he paid a visit to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan when the summary arrived.

He also hailed the ‘tradition’ to meet new Chief of Army Staff (COAS) before signature on the summary. He also ruled out possibility of martial law in Pakistan, noting that democracy has now become stable.

The president said that when consultations about the appointment of army chief can take place in London then there was no harm in taking advice from people in the country.

President Alvi also expressed concern over the rising terrorist activities in Pakistan, reaffirming that Pakistan Army was fully capable of controlling terrorism.

Speaking on the current political situation, the President pointed out a ‘state of nervousness’ at the moment, noting that negotiation was the key to lower political temperature.

President Alvi maintained that the people should also have confidence in the government. “The people have the right to believe that the government belongs to their mandate,” he said, reiterating that immediate elections were the only solution for people’s trust.

Meanwhile, the President said that Imran Khan should not have left the National Assembly. However, he added that the move increased his popularity. “If he [Imran] had asked me, I would have suggested not leaving the national assembly,” he said.

Talking about the meeting with Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, President Alvi said Dar also has a positive attitude towards dialogue. He added Dar gave different suggestions about the imports whereas he also proposed measures to save electricity.