Alvi issues last message as president on X

Outgoing President Arif Alvi has issued his last message as president of the country, saying he is handing over the X handle to his successor from today (Saturday).

His statement comes shortly after the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) announced that Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari won the presidential election after obtaining 411 electoral votes.

Besides the PPP, Zardari clinched the coveted slot with the backing of allied parties mainly Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-Pakistan). 

PTI-backed Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC) candidate Mahmood Khan Achakzai lost the presidential bid and bagged 181 electoral votes.

“May Allah forgive me for my shortcomings and reward me for the good deeds I may have done. Samina Alvi joins me in this prayer. We have no doubt that a brilliant future awaits our country,” said the outgoing president.

Alvi said this was his last post as the 13th President of Pakistan on the official X handle (@PresOfPakistan) that was set up by him in August 2018.

“I am handing over total control of @PresOfPakistan to the 14th President of Pakistan today,” he added.

Alvi, who was elected as Pakistan's head of state after receiving majority votes from the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) in 2018, has completed his more than five years in office.

Despite the ouster of PTI founder Imran Khan from the prime minister's office in April 2022, after a no-confidence motion against him, and the subsequent departure of his government, President Alvi remained in the office under the Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM)-led coalition's rule in Islamabad.

He is the country's fourth democratically-elected president to complete his tenure in office. Earlier, Chaudhary Fazal Elahi was the country's fifth head of state (1973-1978), Asif Zardari was the 11th (2008-2013), and Mamnoon Hussain was Pakistan's 12th president to complete his term (2013-2018).

Dr Alvi's tenure, which was set to end last year, was extended as the electoral college needed for the presidential election was absent as general elections did not take place.

He has worked with two different prime ministers during his office term — including former caretaker prime minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar.

He also dissolved the National Assembly twice on the advice of the prime ministers.

During his term as president both before and after Khan's ouster, Dr Alvi — a dentist by profession — has survived several major controversies including the reference against Supreme Court senior puisne judge Justice Qazi Faez Isa, controversy over the announcement of the election date, and refusing to sign numerous bills tabled by the PDM setup.