ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday appeared before an anti-terrorism court (ATC) of Islamabad in Parliament and PTV attack case by not availing immunity he enjoys under the constitution.

 

President Dr Arif Alvi and several others were booked in the Parliament and PTV attack case in 2014 during PTI’s 126 days long sit-in against the then PML-N government. President Dr Arif Alvi appeared before the ATC judge Muhammad Ali Warraich along with his lawyer, Dr Babar Awan, in the hearing of Parliament and PTV attack case.

 

He filed an appeal in the court stating that he would not be availing the immunity he enjoys under Article 248 of the Constitution, as our Islamic history does not have any concept of immunity. He said there is no room for any immunity and pardon in the Islamic history. He said he is bound by the Constitution of Pakistan, however, the Holy Quran is a bigger law than the Constitution.

 

He said Islamic history tells us that all the caliphs appeared in court with great dignity. He stated that he came to know in 2016 that he had been charged in the case pertaining to the ransacking of the Parliament and PTV. He said he was allowed bail from the same court a few years back.

 

He urged the entire judiciary to wrap up all the pending cases at the earliest. Dr Aliv said his father had filed a case in 1977 and it was still under adjudication. He apprised the court that as soon as he came to know that the court was about to pen its verdict in the case, he decided to appear so there should be no talk that the President did not appear.

 

The ATC had reserved the verdict in the case against Dr Alvi last month, which will be announced on March 9. It may be recalled here that on August 31, 2014, a large number of protesters from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) had allegedly ransacked the Parliament premises and PTV office and brutally beaten up a senior police officer.