President Alvi’s constitutional term ends today

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: The constitutional term of the office of President Dr Arif Alvi has come to an end today, on Friday.

He assumed the office of President of Pakistan on September 9, 2018.

However, President Alvi will not vacate the presidency and will continue to perform his duties till the election of the new president.

After holding some important consultative meetings last week, President Alvi agreed to perform his duties until the new president assumes charge.

Yesterday, former federal minister Muhammad Ali Durrani also held a long meeting with President Alvi.

The president has reached Islamabad after completing his visit to Lahore. He will perform his usual official assignments today.

The extended stay at Presidency will make Arif Alvi the only head of state in the country’s history who have kept his post even after his term ends, though Chaudhry Fazal Elahi also had spent an additional month in office as a figurehead before General Ziaul Haq became president on Sept 16, 1978.

Under the law, the president is elected by members of both houses of the parliament — i.e. the Senate and the National Assembly — and the four provincial assemblies. Article 44(1) of the Constitution says that the president will hold office for a term of five years from the day he assumes charge, but he continues to hold the office until a successor is chosen.

Throughout his term, Dr Arif Alvi has remained at the heart of controversies, with critics accusing him of playing with the Constitution.