The post of president is largely a ceremonial one with few tangible powers. The ideal candidate for head of state should be a figure who is not too partisan and can represent the country on the international stage. The PTI’s nominee, Dr Arif Alvi, by and large fulfils the criteria. He was one of the more engaged members of his party in the National Assembly and is seen to have a strong grasp on policy. As a founding member of the PTI, he is popular within the party and also has the respect of the opposition. Based on its numbers in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies, the PTI barely has a majority for the presidential election but it should be sufficient to vote in Alvi given the divisions within the opposition.
In a repeat of the election for the office of prime minister when the PPP refused to support Shahbaz Sharif, the joint opposition has not been able to agree on a candidate. The PPP has insisted on fielding Aitzaz Ahsan as its presidential candidate while the other opposition parties have settled on Maulana Fazlur Rahman. Meanwhile in the Senate, the PPP’s Sherry Rehman has resigned from her post as opposition leader and been replaced by the PML-N’s Raja Zafarul Haq. This further shows that any attempts to block government initiatives will be doomed by the disunity within the opposition.
Alvi is now pretty much a lock to be elected president when a joint sitting of parliament is convened on September 4. Once elected, he should take the lead from President Mamnoon Hussain and stick to the constitutional parameters of his job. Hussain was often mocked for his relative invisibility but the 18th Amendment to the constitution rightly defanged the office and it is important for Alvi to observe those strict limits. He also needs to realise that as president he will represent the entire country and not just the PTI. In the contentious political battles of the next five years, the president must remain above the fray. For the opposition parties, the presidential election is an opportunity to reflect on their inability to present a united front. The PTI’s majority in the National Assembly is small and it does not command a majority in the Senate. This gives the opposition a lot of power to hold it accountable – so long as it sticks together. So far, it has conspicuously failed to do so. The PML-N and the PPP have been unable to move past their historic rivalry, leaving the coast clear for the new government to proceed unchecked. Let us not forget that a strong opposition is vital for our democratic health.