Hours after leaving the presidency at the end of his tenure, former President Dr Arif Alvi stated that he is prepared to face trials under Article 6 of the Constitution.
Calls for a high treason case against Alvi under Article 6 for alleged constitutional breaches have been made on numerous occasions, including the dissolution of the National Assembly on the recommendation of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founding chairman Imran Khan, who was then premier, and the recent failure to convene the first session of the upper house of parliament following the general election in 2024.
The former president, who handed over power to recently sworn-in President Asif Ali Zardari, left the presidential mansion and flew back to Karachi on Sunday evening, where he held a news conference at his home.
"If they want, they may bring a case against me under Article 6. Those who allege unconstitutional actions against me can approach court," Alvi said.
He stated that most judicial rulings did not mention Article 6.
"I stood firm on accountability and democratic principles," he said. "I also adhered to the beliefs of my party, the PTI, which was fighting corruption in the country," he added.
"I committed to the Constitution and did what was right," he said.
Alvi said that he was serious about finalizing the decision on reserved seats in the assembly before convening the NA session.
In response to the dissolution of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, the second legislative body abolished by the PTI administration last year, Alvi stated that he suggested against leaving the KP legislature.
Alvi stated that his responsibility as president has been to work to resolve conflicts.
Speaking about the PTI founder, Alvi stated that he and Khan believed the reference against incumbent Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Qazi Faez Isa should not have been submitted.
The former president also demanded a probe into the May 9 riots and urged lawmakers and the establishment to take part in reconciling the country. He also advocated for the recognition of the PTI and the mandate that it received in the 2024 general election.