LAHORE: President Dr Arif Alvi said on Tuesday that the Constitution does not explicitly allow consultation on the appointment of the army chief before adding that it is not a problem if consultation takes place.

The president said this while speaking to journalists at the Governor House Lahore.

The remarks come as the incumbent army chief, General Qamar Javed Bajwa, is conducting farewell visits to various garrisons across the country with his tenure scheduled to end on November 29. Meanwhile, PM Shehbaz Sharif is in London to consult with brother Nawaz Sharif, a three-time former premier.

During all this, PTI chief Imran Khan has insisted that the PML-N led coalition government, which includes the PPP, want to influence the appointment.

President Alvi said observed that the situation in the country was critical and that he was in communication with instutitions which could iron our such kinks. “I keep trying to resolve differences between organisations.”

On the on-going protests in the country, the president said that containers were manufactured for trade and shipping but we have shown the world a novel way of using containers.

Law enforcement in Pakistan has taken to using containers to barricade entry and exit points of key roads to deter protesters. Politicians, including Imran Khan, use containers mounted on vehicles as base of operations during protests like the on-going protest march to Islamabad.

President Alvi remarked that it would be better if electiosn would be held soon. “We have to talk about how to stabilise democratic institutions.”

The president went on to say that he does not work in consultation with Imran Khan. “He is an old friend and I consider him a leader. I do hope and try that relations between Imran Khan and the Establishment improve.”

When asked about statements made by PTI leader Faisal Vawda, since suspended, during a press conference last month about blood being shed at the PTI protest, and whether the members of the federal government and Vawda himself should be included in the investigation into Imran Khan’s attempted assassination, Dr Alvi replied: “People have lost trust in institutions because they are being used for political ends.”

He went on to say that the judiciary is asked to intervene in such matters but do not obey the verdict.

“There is no problem in heading towards election after reconciliation. Democracy only works because of institutions. There was martial law in the country but now democracy is working.”

Arshad Sharif’s murder

On the murder of Arshad Sharif, President Alvi said that the journalist had written a letter to him about the threat to his life, which he said he shared with the prime minister.

“This is our failure.”

Alvi further said that there were reports that Sharif had been tortured prior to his murder.

When asked whether the United Nations should be involved in the investigation of Sharif’s murder, the president responded that it was a possibility.

“We could not solve the murders of Benazir Bhutto, Liaquat Ali Khan and Zia ul Haq that happened in the country,” he said while adding that he could try to get Sharif’s murder investigated for ‘his own satisfaction’.