President Dr Arif Alvi on Friday said there was no threat to the government or democracy, and he was confident that the present democratic set-up would complete its mandated term.

“I don’t see any threat to the government or democracy in the country. I am confident that the present government will complete its term like the two previous regimes,” he said when asked to comment on the current political situation in the country in an interview with a private television channel (Ary News).

The president, in response to a question about the opposition’s complaints about the government, said the opposition’s complaints were not a matter of concern, however, “talking about the country’s institutions in such a way and criticizing them is unfortunate.”

“Because it is my country and these are our institutions. And degrading our institutions is unfair,” he remarked.

The president further said there should not be any efforts to malign the state institutions.

When asked as what role he could play in engaging the opposition parties, President Alvi said he could not interfere in the political matters of government and opposition, but in the national and federal issues such as health etc.

To a question about legislative business, he said the ordinances issued by the present government were far less in number than the ones issued by the previous Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Muslim league-Nawaz regimes.

He maintained that the Constitution provided the government with a space to issue ordinances for essential legislative requirements for six months.

The president, however, was confident that the government’s legislative business in the parliament would get boost after the Senate elections in March next.

To another question, he said all the institutions in the country were against corruption. “Even all the political parties on-paper are against corruption,” he added.

The president appreciated the judiciary for their efforts against corruption. “I salute the judiciary for their efforts to eliminate corruption,” he remarked.

About corruption and accountability, President Alvi said though the accused in some criminal cases were considered innocent until proven guilty, but in financial crimes like “assets beyond means” the situation was different and the accused have to prove their innocence.

He in that respect also referred to the laws of various countries, including the “Unexplained Wealth Order” of the United Kingdom, and similar legislation in the Switzerland that bound the accused to prove his innocence.

The president said the Islamic laws also required the accused to prove his innocence in financial matters. Accountability was the part of any government, he added.

To a question, he, however, added that there should be an across the board accountability.