A controversy ignited by President Arif Alvi’s tweet about his ‘dubious’ assent to two bills escalated into a crisis. Bureaucrats reportedly became reluctant to accept postings to the Presidency. Amidst this turmoil, senior officials resisted the president’s principal secretary (PS) role, with the atmosphere of the Presidency described as tense.
Bureaucrats expressed frustration when the president sought to replace his PS, Waqar Ahmed, accusing him of failing to return the bills within ten days. This move was perceived as making Ahmed a scapegoat. Following his replacement, Humera Ahmed, recently assigned as the federal secretary of the national heritage and culture division, declined the position of the president’s PS, even though she previously held the role in an acting capacity. After her refusal, no other official has been nominated.
Read: Waqar Ahmed Appeals to President Dr Arif Alvi Over Removal
Further complicating matters, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) hasn’t addressed the president’s request to change his PS. An official from the PMO mentioned that the president needs the Electoral Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) approval to change his principal secretary due to recent restrictions placed on bureaucratic transfers.
The situation began when President Alvi stated he hadn’t approved two contentious bills – the Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill 2023 and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill 2023 – and accused his staff of misguidance. Consequently, Alvi communicated with the Prime Minister’s Principal Secretary, Dr. Tauqir Shah, seeking a new PS. Waqar Ahmed petitioned the president to reconsider his removal, asserting he could prove his innocence.
