ISLAMABAD -UNS: Caretaker Law Minister Ahmad Irfan Aslam on Sunday said that Official Secrets (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Pakistan Army (Amendment) Bill, 2023 were not received from the President’s House.
Addressing a press conference, the law minister said: “The president thought he returned the bills.” The amendment bills, in fact, were not received by the law ministry from the president, he added.
“A bill will become law, in case it is not signed by the president within 10 days as it will be deemed to have been granted his assent,” he added.
Caretaker Law Minister Ahmed Irfan Aslam says Article-75 of the Constitution is very clear that the President can either sign a bill or return it to Parliament with any amendments within ten days and if he doesn’t do so, the bill becomes a law under the Constitution.
He said President’s tweets are regarding the Pakistan Army Act (Amendment) Bill that reached him for his assent on the 2nd of this month and Official Secrets Act that reached his office on the 8th of this month.
The caretaker law minister said it has never happened before that President returned any bill without his signature.
He said there is nothing available in the Constitution to return the bills without signature or without recommendation or amendments.
