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
StyleHis Excellency
StatusAbolished
ResidenceGovernor-General's House
AppointerMonarch of Pakistan
Formation14 August 1947
First holderMuhammad Ali Jinnah
Final holderIskander Mirza
Abolished23 March 1956

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

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]

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

See also

References
  1. "List Showing the Governors-General and Presidents of Pakistan Since Independence" (PDF). cabinet.gov.pk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 26 April 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2022.
  2. Chief Justice Muhammad Munir: His Life, Writings, and Judgements, Research Society of Pakistan, 1973, p. 341
  3. Kumarasingham, Harshan (2013), THE 'TROPICAL DOMINIONS': THE APPEAL OF DOMINION STATUS IN THE DECOLONISATION OF INDIA, PAKISTAN AND CEYLON, vol. 23, Transactions of the Royal Historical Society, p. 223, JSTOR 23726109
  4. Karl Von Vorys (1965), Political development in Pakistan, Princeton University Press, p. 272, ISBN 9781400876389
  5. Bin Sayeed, Khalid (1955), "The Governor-General of Pakistan", Pakistan Horizon, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs, 8 (2): 330–339, JSTOR 41392177
  6. "Transfer of power and Jinnah". DAWN. 4 February 2013. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
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