ISLAMABAD – The Pakistani president has expressed regret over choosing the Sindh Governor’s House for the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between Alvi Dental and a US-based company.
Dr Awab Alvi signed the agreement with Bringing Smiles USA’s Dr Anas Athar at the official building while President Dr Arif Alvi was also present on the occasion. The event drew criticism from PML-N, PPP and social media users, who called out President Alvi for using the Governor House for his “family business”.
Following the criticism, the president on Tuesday admitted the mistake on Twitter where he wrote: “For the signing ceremony of an MOU between @DrAwab and his friend in my presence, the venue selection was a matter of poor judgment”.
For the signing ceremony of an MOU between @DrAwab and his friend in my presence, the venue selection was a matter of poor judgment.
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) November 30, 2021
Initially, the president had congratulated his son on the venture. “Wish you success in this collaboration with your friends who are also bringing in foreign investment,” he wrote on Twitter in response to his son’s tweet.
A picture of the ceremony shared by Awab also showed the president and his wife Samina Alvi are witnessing the signing of MoU.
Congratulations @DrAwab Wish you success in this collaboration with your friends who are also bringing in foreign investment. https://t.co/yv4sgo2MYs
— Dr. Arif Alvi (@ArifAlvi) November 29, 2021
After the PML-N leaders slammed the president, Dr Awab Alvi came forward to defend his father on Twitter.
Dr Awab said that President Alvi had resigned from Alvi Dental when he assumed office. “This venture is between me and my Pakistani US diaspora dentist-alumnus friend,” he said.
“President encourages all startups much smaller than ours & is on record to have hosted a startup in dentistry at Presidency last yr [year],” he added.
“His love for dentistry will not end whether it is toothbrushing directions from the Presidential Office or his effort for international standard quality dental care in Pakistan,” he said.
Awab further said that the original venue for the event was Alvi Dental. “But to avoid inconvenience because of security to APS school right next to us, it was changed,” he said.
.. The venue originally selected was Alvi Dental but to avoid inconvenience because of security to APS school right next to us, it was changed. In retrospect we could have avoided it But any catering that was done was paid by me personally
— Awab Alvi (@DrAwab) November 30, 2021
“In retrospect we could have avoided it but any catering that was done was paid by me, personally,” he concluded.
