Governor-General of Pakistan

The governor-general of Pakistan (Urdu: گورنر جنرل پاکستان) was the representative of the Pakistani monarch in the Dominion of Pakistan, established by the Indian Independence Act 1947. The office of governor-general was abolished when Pakistan became an Islamic republic in 1956.^[1][2]

Governor-General of Pakistan
گورنر جنرل پاکستان
Coat of arms of Pakistan
Longest serving Sir Ghulam Muhammad 17 October 1951 – 7 August 1955
Style	His Excellency
Status	Abolished
Residence	Governor-General's House
Appointer	Monarch of Pakistan
Formation	14 August 1947
First holder	Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Final holder	Iskander Mirza
Abolished	23 March 1956

Constitutional role

Muhammad Ali Jinnah, seated on the throne of Pakistan, carrying out official duties as the monarch's representative

In the first years after its independence, Pakistan was one of the realms of the Commonwealth of Nations that shared the same person as sovereign and head of state. The Pakistani monarch was represented in the dominion by the governor-general of Pakistan, whom the monarch appointed on the advice of the Pakistani government.^[3][4]

The Pakistani monarch and the Federal Legislature of Pakistan constituted the Parliament of Pakistan. All executive powers of Pakistan rested with the sovereign. All laws in Pakistan were enacted only with royal assent, granted by the governor-general on behalf of the sovereign. The governor-general was also responsible for summoning, proroguing, and dissolving the Federal Legislature. The governor-general chose and appointed the Council of Ministers and dismissed them at his discretion. All Pakistani ministers of the Crown held office at the pleasure of the governor-general. The governor-general of Pakistan was also exempted from any proceedings against him in any Pakistani court.^[5][6]

Akhilesh Pillalamarri of The Diplomat wrote that during the reign of Elizabeth II, Queen of Pakistan, "her governors-general were presidents of Pakistan in all but name."^[7]

Oath of office

The governor-general of Pakistan was required to take an oath of allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan and the Pakistani monarch before being permitted to assume his seat. The oath of allegiance taken by Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the first governor-general, was as follows:^[6]

"I, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, do solemnly affirm true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of Pakistan as by law established and that I will be faithful to His Majesty King George VI, in the office of Governor General of Pakistan."

List of governors-general of Pakistan

The following is a list of people who served as governor-general of Pakistan.

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Monarch (Reign)
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Muhammad Ali Jinnah (1876–1948)	14 August 1947	11 September 1948	1 year, 28 days	George VI (1947–1952)
2		Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin (1894–1964)	14 September 1948	17 October 1951	3 years, 33 days
3		Sir Ghulam Muhammad (1895–1956)	17 October 1951	7 August 1955	3 years, 294 days
						Elizabeth II (1952–1956)
4		Iskander Mirza (1899–1969)	7 August 1955	23 March 1956	229 days

Flag of the governor-general

• 
  Flag used from 1947 to 1953
• 
  Flag used from 1953 to 1956

See also

• Governor-General of India
• List of presidents of Pakistan
• President of Pakistan