List of heads of state of Pakistan

Last updated May 30, 2025

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)

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

Governors-General

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)
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Monarch (Reign)
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
3		Sir Ghulam Muhammad (1895–1956)	17 October 1951	7 August 1955	3 years, 294 days	Elizabeth II (1952–1956)
4		Iskandar Ali Mirza (1899–1969)	7 August 1955	23 March 1956	229 days	Elizabeth II (1952–1956)

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

No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Term of office			Political party		Elected	Ref.
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office	Time in office	Political party		Elected	Ref.
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	–
2		Ayub Khan (1907–1974)	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 Elahi 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]
10		Pervez Musharraf (1943–2023)	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
(11)		Asif Ali Zardari (born 1955)	10 March 2024	Incumbent	1 year, 80 days		PPP	2024

Timeline

Notes

References

1 2 3 4 5 "Presidents". National Assembly of Pakistan . 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.
↑ Burki, Shahid Javed; Baxter, Craig (1991). Pakistan Under The Military: Eleven Years Of Zia Ul-haq. Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813379852.
↑ Waldman, Amy (2 January 2004). "Pakistan gives Musharraf confidence vote as president". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2013.

External links

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[:0-1] 1 2 3 4 5 "Presidents". National Assembly of Pakistan . 11 August 2023. Archived from the original on 11 August 2023. Retrieved 22 October 2023.

[2] Burki, Shahid Javed; Baxter, Craig (1991). Pakistan Under The Military: Eleven Years Of Zia Ul-haq. Westview Press. ISBN 978-0813379852.

[3] Waldman, Amy (2 January 2004). "Pakistan gives Musharraf confidence vote as president". The New York Times. Retrieved 20 January 2013.

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v t e Heads of state of Pakistan
Monarch (1947–1956)	George VI Elizabeth II
President (from 1956)	Mirza A. Khan§ Y. Khan§ Bhutto Chaudhry Zia§ G. Khan Sajjad* Leghari Sajjad* Tarar Musharraf§ Soomro* Zardari Hussain Alvi Zardari
§Head of the military regime *Acting president