President Alvi’s term nears completion

President Dr Arif Alvi's five-year tenure as the country's president is set to conclude on September 8 (Friday), a cloud of uncertainty hangs over whether he will continue in his role.

As per the Constitution, Alvi can remain the president until the election of a new head of state.
However, sources close to the president revealed that no decision has been made regarding his possible extension of presidency or departure from office, as outlined in Article 44 (1) of the Constitution.

According to the article: "Election to the office of President shall be held not earlier than sixty days and not later than thirty days before the expiration of the term of the President in office: Provided that, if the election cannot be held within the period aforesaid because the National Assembly is dissolved, it shall be held within thirty days of the general election to the Assembly."

Therefore, the presidential polls have to be held 30 days prior to September 8.

With the clock ticking, the observers await the final move of the president who has occasionally tried to use his office to comment on political events and express his intentions to mediate in political conflict as well as press for elections within the constitutional deadline.

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Recently, his office came also under the light in the wake of clamour for the president's "constitutional responsibility" to announce the election date as ECP ruled out polls this year due to the delimitation process.

It is pertinent to note that in the event that President Alvi steps down, Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani will temporarily assume the role of acting president until a new president is elected following the next general election.

However, the election of a new president requires the formation of the National Assembly and the four provincial assemblies, which can only occur after the upcoming general elections.

The electoral college, at present, is incomplete because the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assemblies do not exist yet.

Arif Alvi was elected as the President of Pakistan on September 4, 2018, and took the oath of office as the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on September 9, 2018.