List of heads of state of Pakistan

Fifteen individuals have served as head of state of Pakistan, from the foundation of Pakistan in 1947 to the present day. The current head of state of Pakistan is Asif Ali Zardari, elected in 2024 after being nominated by the Pakistan People's Party.

From 1947 to 1956 the head of state was the Pakistani monarch, who was the same person as the monarch of the United Kingdom and the other Commonwealth realms. The Monarch was represented in Pakistan by the Governor-General. Pakistan became a republic under the Constitution of 1956 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President.

Monarchy (1947–1956)

Main article: Monarchy of Pakistan

The succession to the throne of Pakistan was the same as the succession to the British throne.

No.	Portrait	Monarch (Birth–Death)	Reign			Prime ministers
			Start	End	Total
1		George VI (1895–1952)	14 August 1947	6 February 1952	4 years, 176 days	Khan
						Nazimuddin
2		Elizabeth II (1926–2022)	6 February 1952	23 March 1956	4 years, 46 days
						Bogra
						Ali

Governors-General

Main article: Governor-General of Pakistan

The Governor-General was the representative of the monarch in Pakistan and exercised most of the powers of the monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the monarch. After the passage of the Statute of Westminster 1931, the Governor-General was appointed solely on the advice of the Cabinet of Pakistan without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.

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)
Office vacant (11 September 1948 – 14 September 1948)
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

Republic (1956–present)

Under the 1956 Constitution, the first constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, the President replaced the monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President was elected by the Electoral College for a five-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Chairman of the Senate served as Acting President.

Presidents

This section is transcluded from List of presidents of Pakistan. (edit | history)

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party		Elected	Ref.
			Took office	Left office	Time in office
1		Iskandar Ali Mirza (1899–1969)	23 March 1956	27 October 1958	2 years, 218 days		Republican	1956	[1]
2		Ayub Khan (1907–1974)	27 October 1958	8 June 1962	3 years, 224 days		Army	–
			8 June 1962	25 March 1969	6 years, 290 days		PMLC	1965
3		Yahya Khan (1917–1980)	25 March 1969	20 December 1971	2 years, 270 days		Army	–	[1][2][page needed]
4		Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1928–1979)	20 December 1971	14 August 1973	1 year, 237 days		PPP	1970	[1]
5		Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry (1904–1982)	14 August 1973	16 September 1978	5 years, 33 days		PPP	1973
6		Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1924–1988)	16 September 1978	17 August 1988 †	9 years, 336 days		Army	–
7		Ghulam Ishaq Khan (1915–2006)	17 August 1988	18 July 1993	4 years, 335 days		IND	1988
—		Wasim Sajjad (born 1941) acting	18 July 1993	14 November 1993	119 days		PMLN	–
8		Farooq Leghari (1940–2010)	14 November 1993	2 December 1997	4 years, 18 days		PPP	1993
—		Wasim Sajjad (born 1941) acting	2 December 1997	1 January 1998	30 days		PMLN	–
9		Muhammad Rafiq Tarar (1929–2022)	1 January 1998	20 June 2001	3 years, 170 days		PMLN	1997
10		Pervez Musharraf (1943–2023)	20 June 2001	15 October 2007	6 years, 117 days		Army	2004	[1][3]
			19 November 2007	18 August 2008	273 days		PML(Q)	2007	[1]
—		Muhammad Mian Soomro (born 1950) acting	18 August 2008	9 September 2008	22 days		PML(Q)	–
11		Asif Ali Zardari (born 1955)	9 September 2008	9 September 2013	5 years		PPP	2008
12		Mamnoon Hussain (1940–2021)	9 September 2013	9 September 2018	5 years		PMLN	2013
13		Arif Alvi (born 1949)	9 September 2018	10 March 2024	5 years, 183 days		PTI	2018
14		Asif Ali Zardari (born 1955)	10 March 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 158 days		PPP	2024

Timeline

See also

• Governor-General of Pakistan
• President of Pakistan
  • List of international trips made by presidents of Pakistan
• Vice President of Pakistan
• Prime Minister of Pakistan
  • List of prime ministers of Pakistan

Notes