Difference between revisions of "President of Pakistan"

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The '''President of Pakistan''' is the ceremonial [[head of state]] of [[Pakistan]] and the [[Commander-in-Chief]] of [[Pakistan Armed Forces]].<ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20150321055201/http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part12.ch2.html</ref><ref>https://web.archive.org/web/20160204192606/http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part3.ch1.html</ref> Having been a  powerful institution for the most of Pakistan's history, it has since 2008 been relegated to a ceremonial function.
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==British Influence==
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There have been a total of 13 people who have held the office of President since independence in 1947. The first one was [[Iskander Ali Mirza]], who entered office on 23 March 1956 after the post was created when Pakistan formally moved from being a Dominion, and became an Islamic Republic.
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Mirza was carefully handpicked by the British as part of an effort to keep continued influence in the new country. Several other presidents have close connections to Britain and the British army, [[Iskander Ali Mirza]] ([[Sandhurst]]); [[Ayub Khan]] ([[Sandhurst]]);[[Yahya Khan]], who was posted as the only Muslim instructor at the [[British Indian Army Staff College]] in [[Quetta]] at the time of partition of India. Most others have done parts of their education in prestigious universities in the UK.
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==Changing Power==
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From 1947 until 1956, the [[Governor-General of Pakistan|governor-general of Pakistan]] acted for the [[head of state]]: King [[George VI]] (until 1952) and Queen [[Elizabeth II]] (from 1952). With the promulgation of the first Constitution, Pakistan became an [[Islamic republic]] in 1956, and the governor-general was replaced with the presidency. The incumbent Governor-General, [[Iskander Mirza]], became Pakistan's first president. He reportedly [[1958 Pakistani coup d'état|suspended the]] first Constitution in 1958, and appointed [[Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army|Army commander-in-chief]] general [[Ayub Khan (President of Pakistan)|Ayub Khan]] as the first [[chief martial law administrator]]. Khan subsequently dismissed Mirza in order to become the president.
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The second Constitution introduced by President Ayub Khan turned the country into a [[presidential republic]] without [[Elections in Pakistan|direct elections]]. Succumbing to internal and international pressure, however, Khan held a nationwide [[1965 Pakistani presidential election|presidential election]] in 1965. Khan successfully campaigned against his opponent, [[Fatima Jinnah]], for a second term, but some have alleged that elections were rigged in favour of Khan.
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Controversy regarding the [[1960 U-2 incident|U-2 incident]] (1960), [[Privatisation in Pakistan|privatization]] (1963), and [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1965|war]] with [[India]] (1965), fueled a fierce [[Socialism in Pakistan|left-wing]] opposition movement led by [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]] of the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]] and [[Bengali nationalism|Bengali nationalist]] [[Sheikh Mujibur Rahman]] who, with the support of demonstrators, aimed to further weaken the presidency. Suffering from [[paralysis]] and declining health, Ayub Khan handed over the presidency to army chief General [[Yahya Khan]], [[Legal Framework Order, 1970|who imposed martial law]] and announced that nationwide elections would be held in 1970. Eventually, [[1970 Pakistani general election|general elections]] were held in 1970 which saw the [[Pakistan Peoples Party|PPP]] gaining a majority of seats in West Pakistan (current day Pakistan) and the [[Awami League]] gaining a majority in [[East Pakistan]] (current day Bangladesh).
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After he was unable to reach a compromise between the PPP and the Awami League, President Yahya Khan invited [[Nurul Amin]] of the [[Pakistan Muslim League]] to become the [[Prime Minister of Pakistan|prime minister]], and also appointed him as the first [[Vice President of Pakistan|vice president]]. The growing instigated violence against [[Pakistanis]] in East Pakistan forced President Yahya Khan to use [[Operation Searchlight|force]] in order to maintain [[Law and order (politics)|order]] there, which further escalated [[Bangladesh Liberation War|Bengali resistance]] (1970). [[Operation Chengiz Khan|Preemptive strikes]] against [[India]] led to another [[Indo-Pakistani war of 1971|war]] in 1971, which [[Independence of Bangladesh|freed]] [[East Pakistan]] and created [[Bangladesh]].
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Taking personal responsibility for the political isolation and devastation of [[Pakistan]] after the [[Fall of Dhaka|fall]] of [[East Pakistan]], President Yahya Khan stepped down and ceded power to [[Zulfikar Ali Bhutto]]. President Bhutto created the current [[Constitution of Pakistan]] in 1973, transforming [[Pakistan]] into a [[parliamentary democracy]], and reducing presidential powers to that of a ceremonial [[figurehead]].
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Latest revision as of 05:27, 28 March 2021


Employment.png President of Pakistan 
(political position)
Flag of the President of Pakistan.png
Start23 March 1956
Websitehttp://www.president.gov.pk
Used to shift between military dictators and civilians. Since 2008 a figurehead position.

The President of Pakistan is the ceremonial head of state of Pakistan and the Commander-in-Chief of Pakistan Armed Forces.[1][2] Having been a powerful institution for the most of Pakistan's history, it has since 2008 been relegated to a ceremonial function.

British Influence

There have been a total of 13 people who have held the office of President since independence in 1947. The first one was Iskander Ali Mirza, who entered office on 23 March 1956 after the post was created when Pakistan formally moved from being a Dominion, and became an Islamic Republic.

Mirza was carefully handpicked by the British as part of an effort to keep continued influence in the new country. Several other presidents have close connections to Britain and the British army, Iskander Ali Mirza (Sandhurst); Ayub Khan (Sandhurst);Yahya Khan, who was posted as the only Muslim instructor at the British Indian Army Staff College in Quetta at the time of partition of India. Most others have done parts of their education in prestigious universities in the UK.

Changing Power

From 1947 until 1956, the governor-general of Pakistan acted for the head of state: King George VI (until 1952) and Queen Elizabeth II (from 1952). With the promulgation of the first Constitution, Pakistan became an Islamic republic in 1956, and the governor-general was replaced with the presidency. The incumbent Governor-General, Iskander Mirza, became Pakistan's first president. He reportedly suspended the first Constitution in 1958, and appointed Army commander-in-chief general Ayub Khan as the first chief martial law administrator. Khan subsequently dismissed Mirza in order to become the president.

The second Constitution introduced by President Ayub Khan turned the country into a presidential republic without direct elections. Succumbing to internal and international pressure, however, Khan held a nationwide presidential election in 1965. Khan successfully campaigned against his opponent, Fatima Jinnah, for a second term, but some have alleged that elections were rigged in favour of Khan.

Controversy regarding the U-2 incident (1960), privatization (1963), and war with India (1965), fueled a fierce left-wing opposition movement led by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto of the PPP and Bengali nationalist Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who, with the support of demonstrators, aimed to further weaken the presidency. Suffering from paralysis and declining health, Ayub Khan handed over the presidency to army chief General Yahya Khan, who imposed martial law and announced that nationwide elections would be held in 1970. Eventually, general elections were held in 1970 which saw the PPP gaining a majority of seats in West Pakistan (current day Pakistan) and the Awami League gaining a majority in East Pakistan (current day Bangladesh).

After he was unable to reach a compromise between the PPP and the Awami League, President Yahya Khan invited Nurul Amin of the Pakistan Muslim League to become the prime minister, and also appointed him as the first vice president. The growing instigated violence against Pakistanis in East Pakistan forced President Yahya Khan to use force in order to maintain order there, which further escalated Bengali resistance (1970). Preemptive strikes against India led to another war in 1971, which freed East Pakistan and created Bangladesh.

Taking personal responsibility for the political isolation and devastation of Pakistan after the fall of East Pakistan, President Yahya Khan stepped down and ceded power to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. President Bhutto created the current Constitution of Pakistan in 1973, transforming Pakistan into a parliamentary democracy, and reducing presidential powers to that of a ceremonial figurehead.


 

Office Holders on Wikispooks

NameFromToDescription
Mamnoon Hussain9 September 2013
Asif Ali Zardari9 September 20088 September 2013
Muhammad Soomro18 August 20089 September 2008Acting
Pervez Musharraf20 June 200118 August 2008
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq16 September 197817 August 1988Assassinated in plane crash
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq5 July 197724 March 1985De facto president
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References

  1. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20150321055201/http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part12.ch2.html
  2. ↑ https://web.archive.org/web/20160204192606/http://www.pakistani.org/pakistan/constitution/part3.ch1.html
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