I didn’t want or ask for immunity, says president
ISLAMABAD: Responding to criticism, President Arif Alvi on Thursday tweeted that he “did not want or ask for immunity” in a case related to the 2014 sit-in, in which proceedings against him have been suspended under the Constitution.
Taking to the microblogging website, President Alvi said: “I did not want or ask for immunity. However, the honourable judge is bound by Article 248(2) which does not give him any choice as it states ‘No criminal proceedings whatsoever shall be instituted or continued against the president or a governor in any court during his term of ofice’.”
2014 SIT-IN
The case in question was registered against Alvi under different sections of the Anti-terrorism Act (ATA) and the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) for allegedly inciting violence during the 2014 sit-in in the federal capital.
After assuming the office of president, Dr Alvi had said that he would not seek immunity. However, his counsel Mohammad Ali Bukhari had pointed out that the ofice of the president enjoyed constitutional immunity from criminal proceedings under Article 248, and he therefore had no say in the matter.
An anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad suspended proceedings against President Alvi till he holds ofice.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, who is also accused in the case, has been granted permanent exemption by the ATC after his counsel assured the court that he would represent Imran Khan in every hearing of the case.
On Aug.31, 2014, PTI and Pakistan Awami Tehrik (PAT) workers had marched towards Parliament House and Prime Minister House and clashed with police deployed on Constitution Avenue.
Around 50 protesters, allegedly from the PTI and PAT, were accused of attacking and injuring police oficer Asmatullah Junejo the next day.
Police had subsequently invoked the ATA against PTI leaders Imran Khan, Alvi, Asad Umar, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, Shafqat Mehmood and Raja Khurram Nawaz for inciting violence during the 2014 sit-in.
As per the prosecution, three people were killed and 26 injured, while 60 were arrested. The prosecution had submitted 65 photos, sticks, cutters, etc, to the court to establish its case.