'If Alvi Decides To Apply His Own Mind'.

This is not the way to go about IT. One feels forced to say this because only 40 members, out of the total number of 342, were present in the House Wednesday afternoon when the National Assembly passed a resolution to 'condemn' what it perceived as 'unconstitutional conduct' of President Arif Alvi.

There is no doubt that the PTI planted dentist-turned-politician, Arif Alvi, had ceaselessly been behaving 'monarchial' since the advent of April 3, 2022. He slavishly recognised Imran Khan as the legitimate prime minister of Pakistan in the night of April 3. Instead of calling for the headcount on an appropriately tabled motion of no-confidence against the former prime minister, the then Deputy Speaker, Qasim Suri, had 'rejected' the same.

The audacity committed by Suri enabled Imran Khan to dissolve the National Assembly, elected in July 2018. To ensure the quick execution of his desire, he transmitted the constitutionally required 'advice' to the President and he took not more than a minute to say yes to it.

The Supreme Court later declared that Qasim Suri had no power to 'reject' the motion of no confidence. There was no way to elude the count on it. It also 'restored' the National Assembly and directed it to hold voting to find out whether Imran Khan still enjoyed support of the majority.

Yet, the then Speaker and the Deputy Speaker refused to budge. Finally, some optics, ominously suggesting intervention from extra parliamentary forces, ensured anxiously awaited count on the motion of no confidence in the late night of April 9. Two days later, Shehbaz Sharif was elected to the Prime Minister's Office.

President Arif Alvi pretended to be sick to avoid taking an oath from the new Prime Minister, Senate Chairman had to deliver the needful. After initial throwing of tantrums, however, he started to behave properly, only for a while, though.

After taking over, Shehbaz Sharif also wanted to remove the PTI-nominated Governor of Punjab, Umer Sarfraz Cheema. The President refused to oblige. That compelled the Prime Minister to communicate the second advice on the same matter, considered 'binding' by our constitution.

For another time, Alvi preferred to assert his 'authority.' He misinterpreted one vague clause of our 'written' constitution to defend his defiance and audaciously disregarded Article 48 of the same constitution that clearly binds him to act on the advice of an elected Prime Minister.

The brazen support President Alvi furnished for...

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