President Alvi’s term to end on Sept. 8; Succession uncertain

ISLAMABAD:  Dr. Arif Alvi, the 13th President of the country, is set to conclude his tenure in a matter of days, with his term officially ending on September 8. However, the customary electoral process for selecting a new president remains in limbo due to the dissolution of the assemblies last month.

The looming question revolves around who will assume the role of head of state once President Alvi’s five-year term, which commenced on September 9, 2018, reaches its conclusion on September 8.

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According to Article 41 (4) of the Constitution: “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 mentioned due to the dissolution of the National Assembly, it shall be conducted within thirty days of the general election to the Assembly.”

Constitutionally, President Alvi may continue as the head of state until a new president is elected by the electoral college. Currently, there is no functioning electoral college in the country to facilitate the election of a new president, effectively allowing President Alvi to remain in office until the vacancy is filled.

While Dr. Arif Alvi has not publicly indicated his intention to extend his term as head of state until a new president is elected by the electoral college, speculations suggest that he might continue to serve for an additional five to six months as President of the country.

Web Desk