ISLAMABAD: Dr. Arif Alvi is set to become the fourth democratically elected president in Pakistan’s history to serve a full five-year term, with his tenure officially concluding today, on Friday.
The three previous presidents who completed their full terms were Chaudhary Fazal Elahi (the fifth president, serving from 1973 to 1978), Asif Ali Zardari (the eleventh president, in office from 2008 to 2013), and Mamnoon Hussain (the twelfth president, holding office from 2013 to 2018). Consequently, Dr. Alvi will be the third consecutive president to complete a term.
Notably, Dr. Alvi is likely to continue in office indefinitely, as no electoral college is in place to elect the president. This would make him one of the few heads of state in Pakistan’s history to have an extended term.
It’s worth mentioning that Chaudhry Elahi also spent an additional month as a figurehead president before Ziaul Haq assumed the presidency on September 16, 1978.
Under the law, the president is elected by members of both houses of parliament, including the Senate and the National Assembly, as well as the four provincial assemblies. Article 44(1) of the Constitution stipulates that the president’s term is five years from the day they assume office, but they continue to serve until a successor is chosen.
The duration of Dr. Alvi’s tenure remains uncertain due to the uncertain timeline of general elections, with the Election Commission considering holding elections around late January.
Dr Arif Alvi’s term
During his term, Dr. Arif Alvi has been surrounded by controversy, with critics accusing him of manipulating the Constitution and using the presidency to promulgate 77 ordinances, earning it the moniker of an “ordinance factory.”
He faced criticism inside and outside parliament for allegedly sending references against judges of the superior judiciary with ill intentions and making legally flawed appointments in autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies, many of which were overturned by the courts.
Dr. Alvi also faced backlash for dissolving the National Assembly based on former Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advice, following the controversial prorogation of a session by the then deputy speaker of the National Assembly, Qasim Suri, which prevented a vote on a no-confidence motion against Khan.
However, a Supreme Court bench later unanimously deemed Dr. Alvi’s decision to dissolve the National Assembly “contrary to the Constitution and the law and of no legal effect.”
In June 2020, the Supreme Court also invalidated the presidential reference against Justice Qazi Faez Isa, declaring it “invalid.”
Dr. Alvi’s presidency further stirred controversy when he claimed not to have signed two key bills that granted more powers to the Army and intelligence agencies, despite these bills becoming acts of parliament. His accusations of staff insubordination led to calls for his resignation from critics who argued that he should resign if he couldn’t control his staff effectively.
