Governor-General of Pakistan explained

Post:Governor-General
Body:Pakistan
Native Name:Urdu: {{Nastaliq|گورنر جنرل پاکستان
Insignia:Coat of arms of Pakistan.svg
Insigniacaption:Coat of arms of Pakistan
Style:His Excellency
Status:Abolished
Residence:Governor-General's House
Appointer:Monarch of Pakistan
Formation:14 August 1947
First:Muhammad Ali Jinnah
Last:Iskander Mirza
Abolished:23 March 1956

The governor-general of Pakistan (Urdu: {{Nastaliq|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]

Constitutional role

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.

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.

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:[2]

List of governors-general of Pakistan

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

PortraitName
(Birth–Death)
Term of officeMonarch
(Reign)
Took officeLeft officeTime in office
1Muhammad Ali Jinnah
14 August
1947
11 September
1948

George VI
(1947–1952)
2Sir Khawaja Nazimuddin
14 September
1948
17 October
1951
3Sir Ghulam Muhammad
17 October
1951
7 August
1955

Elizabeth II
(1952–1956)
4Iskander Mirza
7 August
1955
23 March
1956

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: List Showing the Governors-General and Presidents of Pakistan Since Independence. . cabinet.gov.pk . 11 January 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210426081407/https://cabinet.gov.pk/SiteImage/Downloads/presidents-dec-15(1).pdf . 26 April 2021 . dead.
  2. Web site: Transfer of power and Jinnah . DAWN. 4 February 2013. 20 August 2021.