ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi was presented with a farewell guard of honour on Friday, marking the culmination of his term as the 13th head of state, as Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari is poised to become the new president with the support of the allied parties in Saturday’s (today’s) election.

Alvi was sworn in on September 9, 2018, as the president of Pakistan and his term ended last year but due to the absence of the Electoral College for the election of president, he continued to serve in the presidency.

On Friday, a smartly turned-out contingent of the armed forces presented a guard of honour to the outgoing president.

The national anthem was played as the president stood at the saluting dais.

Later, he also shook hands with the officers and staffers of the Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The farewell guard of honour was given a day before the next presidential election scheduled to be held on Saturday.

The government has nominated PPP’s Asif Ali Zardari for the president’s slot. Zardari would be up against Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party Chairman Mahmood Khan Achakzai, who enjoys the backing of the Sunni Ittehad Council (SIC).

Whereas, Zardari has the support of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Awami National Party (ANP), The Istehkam-e-Pakistan Party (IPP), the Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), and others.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024