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Complete list of all Presidents and Governor-Generals of Pakistan from 1947 to 2026 with tenure dates, how they came to power, key facts, constitutional powers through different amendments, and frequently tested MCQ topics for competitive exams.
The office of the President of Pakistan was established with the adoption of the first constitution in 1956. Before that, Pakistan had Governor-Generals as the head of state. Knowing every President, their tenure, how they came to power, and what happened during their time is essential for CSS, PMS, PPSC, FPSC, and all competitive exams.
This guide covers all heads of state from 1947 to the present, including the Governor-General era.
Before Pakistan became a republic in 1956, the head of state was the Governor-General, representing the British Crown.
| # | Name | Tenure | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah | 14 Aug 1947 - 11 Sep 1948 | Founder of Pakistan, died in office |
| 2 | Khwaja Nazimuddin | 14 Sep 1948 - 17 Oct 1951 | Former Chief Minister of Bengal |
| 3 | Ghulam Muhammad | 17 Oct 1951 - 7 Oct 1955 | Dissolved Constituent Assembly in 1954, created constitutional crisis |
| 4 | Iskander Mirza | 7 Oct 1955 - 23 Mar 1956 | Last Governor-General, became first President |
| # | Name | Tenure | How They Came to Power | Key Facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iskander Mirza | 23 Mar 1956 - 27 Oct 1958 | First President under 1956 Constitution | Abrogated constitution, imposed first martial law, then removed by Ayub Khan |
| 2 | Field Marshal Ayub Khan | 27 Oct 1958 - 25 Mar 1969 | Military coup | "Decade of Development," introduced 1962 Constitution, Basic Democracies, fought 1965 War, resigned after mass protests |
| 3 | General Yahya Khan | 25 Mar 1969 - 20 Dec 1971 | Martial law after Ayub's resignation | Held 1970 elections, oversaw East Pakistan crisis and 1971 War, resigned after fall of Dhaka |
| 4 | Zulfikar Ali Bhutto | 20 Dec 1971 - 13 Aug 1973 | Took over after Yahya, initially as President and Chief Martial Law Administrator | Simla Agreement, initiated nuclear program, drafted 1973 Constitution, then became PM |
| 5 | Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry | 14 Aug 1973 - 16 Sep 1978 | Elected under 1973 Constitution (Parliamentary system) | Ceremonial president under Bhutto's PM era, continued under Zia's martial law |
| 6 | General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq | 16 Sep 1978 - 17 Aug 1988 | Military coup against Bhutto (1977), became President in 1978 | Islamization program, Afghan Jihad, 8th Amendment, non-party elections, died in plane crash |
| 7 | Ghulam Ishaq Khan | 17 Aug 1988 - 18 Jul 1993 | Senate Chairman assumed presidency after Zia's death | Dismissed two PM governments (Benazir 1990, Nawaz 1993), forced to resign by Army |
| 8 | Wasim Sajjad (Acting) | 18 Jul 1993 - 14 Nov 1993 | Senate Chairman, acting president | Caretaker period during 1993 elections |
| 9 | Farooq Leghari | 14 Nov 1993 - 2 Dec 1997 | Elected as PPP candidate | Dismissed Benazir Bhutto's second government (1996) |
| 10 | Wasim Sajjad (Acting) | 2 Dec 1997 - 1 Jan 1998 | Senate Chairman, acting president | Brief caretaker period |
| 11 | Muhammad Rafiq Tarar | 1 Jan 1998 - 20 Jun 2001 | Elected as PML-N candidate | Nuclear tests conducted during his tenure, sidelined by Musharraf after coup |
| 12 | General Pervez Musharraf | 20 Jun 2001 - 18 Aug 2008 | Military coup (1999), became President via referendum (2002) | War on Terror, 17th Amendment, National Reconciliation Ordinance, resigned facing impeachment |
| 13 | Asif Ali Zardari | 9 Sep 2008 - 9 Sep 2013 | Elected after PPP's 2008 election victory | Widower of Benazir Bhutto, 18th and 19th Amendments passed, first president to complete full term after Zia |
| 14 | Mamnoon Hussain | 9 Sep 2013 - 9 Sep 2018 | Elected as PML-N candidate | Quiet, largely ceremonial tenure |
| 15 | Dr. Arif Alvi | 9 Sep 2018 - 10 Mar 2024 | Elected as PTI candidate | Dissolved NA on PM's advice (Aug 2023), controversial extended tenure |
| 16 | Asif Ali Zardari | 10 Mar 2024 - Present | Elected for second term with PML-N and PPP coalition support | First president to serve two non-consecutive terms |
Under the 1973 Constitution (post-18th Amendment), the President's powers include:
| Constitution | President's Role | Key Power |
|---|---|---|
| 1956 Constitution | Head of State | Moderate executive powers |
| 1962 Constitution | Executive Head | Full executive authority (Presidential system) |
| 1973 Constitution (original) | Ceremonial | PM holds real power |
| 1973 + 8th Amendment (1985) | Powerful | Could dissolve NA and dismiss PM |
| 1973 + 13th Amendment (1997) | Ceremonial again | Dissolution power removed |
| 1973 + 17th Amendment (2003) | Powerful again | Dissolution power restored under Musharraf |
| 1973 + 18th Amendment (2010) | Ceremonial | PM supreme, president largely ceremonial |
| Feature | Governor-General (1947-1956) | President (1956-Present) |
|---|---|---|
| Constitutional Basis | Indian Independence Act 1947 | Written constitutions |
| Appointed By | British Crown (initially) | Electoral College / Elections |
| Actual Authority | Significant executive power | Varies by amendment (see above) |
| Number of Holders | 4 | 16 (including acting) |
Test your knowledge with interactive MCQs from actual CSS and PMS exam papers.
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