Arif Alvi
Who was Arif Alvi?
Dentist-turned-politician who served as Pakistan's 13th President from 2018-2024 and was a founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Arif Alvi (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Arif-ur-Rehman Alvi was born on July 29, 1949, in Karachi, Pakistan. He became a dentist after studying at De'Montmorency College of Dentistry in Lahore and continued his education at the University of Michigan and the University of Pacific in the United States. Before entering politics, he had a dental practice. He is married to Samina Alvi, who became known for her advocacy work during his presidency.
Alvi began his political career in 1979 with Jamaat-e-Islami, but he eventually left the party. His political path took a new direction when he helped found Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), alongside former cricket captain Imran Khan. This party aimed to provide a new political option in Pakistan, which was then mainly dominated by the Pakistan Muslim League and the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Alvi was first elected to the National Assembly in 2013, representing NA-250 Karachi-XII. He was re-elected in 2018 from NA-247 Karachi South-II after PTI's strong showing in that year's general elections. His repeated success in Karachi showed his strong support in Pakistan's largest city. In the National Assembly, he was known for voicing PTI's views and was a senior member of its leadership.
After PTI came to power in 2018, Alvi was chosen as the party's candidate for the presidency. He won the presidential election by defeating Fazal-ur-Rehman of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam and Aitzaz Ahsan, supported by the Pakistan Peoples Party. Alvi resigned from the National Assembly and was sworn in as the 13th President of Pakistan on September 9, 2018, taking over from Mamnoon Hussain. As president, his role was mostly ceremonial, although he had duties related to legislation and appointments.
Alvi served as president until March 2024, a term that saw significant political upheaval in Pakistan, including the ousting of Imran Khan's government in 2022 and ensuing political and legal challenges for PTI. During his more than five years in office, he stayed closely linked with PTI even as the party faced strong pressure from other political groups and institutions.
Before Fame
Arif Alvi grew up in Karachi, post-partition Pakistan, during a time when the country was still figuring out its identity. He pursued dentistry studies in the United States at universities like Michigan and the University of the Pacific, following the trend of Pakistani professionals seeking advanced training abroad before returning home to work.
Before fully entering politics, Alvi practiced as a dentist. He began his political journey in 1979 with Jamaat-e-Islami, a well-known religious-political party, during General Zia ul-Haq's military rule. Later, he left the party and joined Imran Khan's PTI in the 1990s, shifting towards a movement aiming to reform and challenge the longstanding political families that had dominated Pakistani politics.
Key Achievements
- Served as the 13th President of Pakistan from September 2018 to March 2024
- Founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, one of Pakistan's major political parties
- Elected to the National Assembly in both 2013 and 2018, representing Karachi constituencies
- Won the 2018 presidential election against two major opposition candidates
- Completed advanced dental training at internationally recognized institutions in the United States
Did You Know?
- 01.Alvi holds dental degrees from three different institutions across two countries, including postgraduate training from the University of Michigan and the University of the Pacific in the United States.
- 02.He first entered politics in 1979 by joining Jamaat-e-Islami before eventually leaving to become a founding member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.
- 03.He defeated two prominent opposition candidates in the 2018 presidential election: veteran PPP lawyer Aitzaz Ahsan and religious party leader Fazal-ur-Rehman.
- 04.His wife Samina Alvi used her platform as First Lady to promote awareness about breastfeeding and maternal health in Pakistan.
- 05.Alvi represented constituencies in Karachi in back-to-back general elections in 2013 and 2018 before resigning his National Assembly seat upon becoming president.