Photo released by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) on Sept. 4, 2018 shows newly elected Pakistan's President Arif Alvi (front) poses for a photo at the National Assembly in Islamabad, capital of Pakistan. (Xinhua/PTI)
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf's (PTI) candidate Arif Alvi won the presidential election of the country with an overwhelming lead on Tuesday, according to local reports.
Alvi won the election by taking 353 votes from all the electoral colleges, including parliament and four provincial assemblies. Three candidates competed for the slot of the 13th president of the country for the next five-year term.
Alvi secured 212 votes in the joint session of the two houses of the parliament, including the Senate and the National Assembly, 45 votes from southwest Balochistan province, 41 from northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, 33 votes from eastern Punjab province and 22 votes from southern Sindh province.
His two rival candidates Fazal-ur-Rehman, the joint candidate of the opposition parties including former ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, and Aitzaz Ahsan of the Pakistan Peoples Party got 185 and 124 votes respectively, the reports said.
Many have expected Alvi to win the polls as his party had the highest number of seats in the national assembly and also a majority in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab, besides having a support of the ruling party in Balochistan province.
Alvi announced his victory after viewing the initial result at the parliament, promising to work for the welfare of the Pakistani people by following the country's law and constitution.
"It's a great responsibility at my shoulders. I shall play the best possible role to improve the living standard of common Pakistanis by providing them with health facilities, justice and shelter," said the 69-year-old Alvi.
Supporting Prime Minister Imran Khan's austerity drive, Alvi announced not to live in the President House and not to take the unnecessary lavish protocol.
He will replace incumbent President Mamnoon Hussain whose five-year term will end on Saturday. Alvi is likely to assume office on Sunday.
Alvi, a dentist by profession, is one of the founding members of the ruling PTI and is considered very close to Imran Khan.
He served as secretary general of the PTI for several years. Alvi was elected a member of the National Assembly in 2013 and 2018 from his home constituency in the southern port city of Karachi. Before taking oath as the president of the country, he will have to resign from the national assembly, according to the country's Constitution.
