President of Pakistan

The president of Pakistan (Urdu: صدر, Sadr-e-Mumlikat) is the head of state of Pakistan. Pakistan has a parliamentary form of government. According to the Constitution, the President is chosen by the Electoral College to serve a five-year term. The electoral college is made up of the Senate, National Assembly, and the provincial assemblies.^[3]

President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan صدر مملکت اسلامی جمہوریہ پاکستان‎
Standard of the President of Pakistan
Incumbent Asif Ali Zardari since 10 March 2024
Style	Mr. President (informal) Honourable President or His Excellency
Type	Head of state (Ceremonial)
Residence	Aiwan-e-Sadr
Seat	Islamabad
Appointer	Electoral College
Term length	Five years Renewable once
Constituting instrument	Constitution of Pakistan
Precursor	Governor General of Pakistan
Inaugural holder	Iskandar Mirza
Formation	March 23, 1956; 69 years ago (1956-03-23)
Deputy	abolished, Vice President of Pakistan
Salary	Rs 846,550 per month[1][2]
Website	President of Pakistan

The position of president in Pakistan has usually been one of a figurehead. That is with real power being given to the Prime Minister. However the power of the president has changed over the years, due to the military changing the role.

History

In 1947, Pakistan became a dominion and part of the British Commonwealth with the British Monarch as head of state, represented by the Governor-General of Pakistan. In 1956 Pakistan established its first constitution and became a Republic, and the Queen and Governor-General were replaced by the president.

Pakistan's first president was Iskander Mirza, who was also the last Governor General. In 1958, he removed the constitution and declared martial law. A few weeks later, he was overthrown by General Ayub Khan, who then declared himself president. The constitution was changed and the president became the ruler of Pakistan. The constitution also said that the president be elected by the people. Elections were held in 1963, and Khan defeated Fatima Jinnah, sister of founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

List of presidents of Pakistan

Key for presidents list

	Party name
	Republican Party
	Muslim League (C)
	Armed Forces
	Independent
	Muslim League (Q)
	Peoples Party
	Muslim League (N)
	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

List of presidents of Pakistan

No	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Elections	Took office	Left office	Political party	Note
1		Iskander Mirza (1899–1969)	1958 Pakistani coup d'état	23 March 1956	27 October 1958	Republican Party
2		Ayub Khan (1907–1974)	1958 Pakistani coup d'état	27 October 1958	8 June 1962	Military Dictator
(2)			2 January 1965	8 June 1962	29 November 1963	Military Dictator Pakistan Muslim League (C)
—		Mohammad Afzal Cheema (1913–2008) Acting	—	1962	1963	Senior Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly 1962-1965
—		Fazlul Qadir Chaudhry (1919–1973) Acting	—	29 November 1963	12 June 1965	Pakistan Muslim League (C)
(2)		Ayub Khan (1907–1974)	2 January 1965	12 June 1965	31 March 1969	Pakistan Muslim League (C)
3		Yahya Khan (1917–1980)	—Military Dictator	31 March 1969	20 December 1971	Military Dictator
4		Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (1928–1979)	20 December 1971	20 December 1971	13 August 1973	Pakistan Peoples Party
5		Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry (1904–1982)	14 August 1973	14 August 1973	20 April 1978	Pakistan Peoples Party
—		Sheikh Anwarul Haq (1917–1995) Acting	14 August 1973	20 April 1978	7 May 1978	Pakistan Peoples Party
(5)		Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry (1904–1982)	14 August 1973	7 May 1978	16 September 1978	Pakistan Peoples Party
6		Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq (1924–1988)	Military Dictator	16 September 1978	17 August 1988	Military Dictator
7		Ghulam Ishaq Khan (1915–2006)	13 December 1988	17 August 1988	18 July 1993	Independent
—		Wasim Sajjad (1941– ) Acting	1995 Pakistani coup d'état attempt	18 July 1993	14 November 1993	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
8		Farooq Leghari (1940–2010)	14 November 1993	14 November 1993	2 December 1997	Pakistan Peoples Party
—		Wasim Sajjad (1941– ) Acting	—	27 December 1997	1 January 1998	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
9		Muhammad Rafiq Tarar (1929–2022)	31 December 1997 1999 Pakistani coup d'état	1 January 1998	20 June 2001	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
10		Pervez Musharraf (1943–2023)	Military Dictator	20 June 2001	6 October 2007	1 January 2004[n 1]
(10)			6 October 2007	6 October 2007	18 August 2008	Military Dictator Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
—		Muhammad Mian Soomro (1950– ) Acting	—	18 August 2008	9 September 2008	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
11		Asif Ali Zardari (1955– )	6 September 2008	9 September 2008	9 September 2013	Pakistan Peoples Party
12		Mamnoon Hussain (1940–2021)	30 July 2013	9 September 2013	9 September 2018	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
13		Arif Alvi (1949– )	4 September 2018	9 September 2018	10 March 2024	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
(11)		Asif Ali Zardari (1955– )	9 March 2024	10 March 2024	Incumbent	Pakistan Peoples Party

Living former presidents

• Living former presidents
• 
  Arif Alvi
  PTI)

  13th, served 2018–2024

  (1949-07-29) 29 July 1949 (age 76)

Present holder of the post

The President is now Arif Alvi, a former dentist. He has been a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since August 2018. Before, he was a member of the National Assembly from June 2013 to May 2018. He is a member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, a moderate Party with democratic ideals.

Notes

1. Musharraf took vote of confidence from the electoral college of Pakistan and elected himself as a President of Pakistan.^[4]