List of Presidents of Pakistan

The President of Pakistan is the head of state and the symbol of national unity in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. The president is elected by the members of the Parliament and the provincial assemblies and serves a five-year term. In short, the Presidents of Pakistan have the utmost power.

Since the nation’s establishment in 1947, there have been 13 different presidents, each with their own unique contributions to the country. The following is a list of the presidents of Pakistan, along with a brief overview of their time in office.

Graana.com has prepared a detailed list of all the presidents that have served Pakistan since the establishment of the position in 1956.

 

Presidents of Pakistan

The following table lists all the presidents of Pakistan to date.

 

No.	Name	Elections	Took Office	Left Office	Political Party
1.	Iskander Mirza	1956 Presidential Election	23rd March 1956	27th October 1958	Republican Party
2.	Ayub Khan	1958 Pakistani coup d’état 2nd January 1965	27th October 1958 8th June 1962	8th June 1962 29th November 1963	Pakistan Muslim League PML (C)
3.	Yahya Khan		25th March 1969	20th December 1971
4.	Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto	20th December 1971	20th December 1971	13th August 1973	Pakistan Peoples Party
5.	Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry	14th August 1973	14th August 1973	20th April 1978	Pakistan Peoples Party
6.	Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq		16th September 1978	17th August 1988
7.	Ghulam Ishaq Khan	13th December 1988	17th August 1988	18th July 1993	Independent
8.	Farooq Leghari	14th November 1993	14th November 1993	2nd December 1997	Pakistan Peoples Party
9.	Muhammad Rafiq Tarar	31st December 1997	1st January 1998	20th June 2001	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
10.	Pervez Musharraf	1st January 2004 6th October 2007	20th June 2001 6th October 2007	6th October 2007 18th August 2008	Pakistan Muslim League (Q)
11.	Asif Ali Zardari	6th September 2008	9th September 2008	9th September 2013	Pakistan Peoples Party
12.	Mamnoon Hussain	30th July 2013	9th September 2013	9th September 2018	Pakistan Muslim League (N)
13.	Arif Alvi	4th September 2018	9th September 2018	Incumbent	Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf

Iskander Mirza

 

 

Iskander Mirza was the first president of Pakistan, serving from 1956 to 1958. He was a civil servant who played a key role in the creation of Pakistan and the country’s early governance. Prior to his presidency, Mirza served as the Governor General of Pakistan.

During his time in office, Mirza faced numerous challenges, including political instability and economic difficulties. Despite these issues, he worked to strengthen the country’s institutions and lay the foundation for future development. Mirza was eventually forced to resign from office and later died in exile in London in 1969.

 

Ayub Khan

 

 

Ayub Khan was the second president of Pakistan, serving from 1958 to 1969. He was a military officer who rose to prominence as the country’s first native commander-in-chief. He took over as president following the resignation of Iskander Mirza and introduced a number of important reforms during his time in office.

These included the establishment of a system of basic democracy, which devolved power to local councils, and the implementation of a number of economic development programs.

Khan’s presidency was marked by economic growth and progress, but it was also marked by political repression and the suppression of civil liberties. Khan eventually stepped down from office in 1969 and died in 1974.

 

Yahya Khan

 

 

Yahya Khan was the third president of Pakistan, serving from 1969 to 1971. He took over as president after Ayub Khan’s resignation. Khan faced a number of significant challenges during his time in office, including political instability, economic difficulties, and tensions with India.

He is perhaps best known for his role in the 1971 war with India, which resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. Khan resigned from office in 1971 and later died in 1980.

 

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

 

 

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was the fourth president of Pakistan, serving from 1971 to 1973. He was a politician and statesman who played a key role in the country’s political history. Bhutto was the founder of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), one of the country’s largest and most influential political parties.

He worked to rebuild the country after the 1971 war with India and introduced a number of reforms, including the nationalisation of key industries and the establishment of a more democratic government. Bhutto was eventually overthrown in a military coup and later executed in 1979.

 

Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry

 

 

Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry was the fifth president of Pakistan, serving from 1973 to 1978. He was serving as a civil servant and lawyer before taking over as president following the dismissal of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government in a military coup.

Chaudhry’s presidency was marked by political instability and economic difficulties, as well as tensions with India. He worked to improve relations with other countries and strengthen Pakistan’s economy, but his efforts were ultimately overshadowed by the challenges he faced. Chaudhry’s presidency ended in 1978 when he was succeeded by Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq.

 

Zia-ul-Haq

 

 

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq was the sixth president of Pakistan, serving from 1978 until his death in 1988. Zia’s presidency was marked by a number of significant events, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the development of Pakistan’s nuclear program.

He also implemented a number of controversial policies, including the introduction of strict Islamic laws, which led to widespread criticism. Despite these controversies, Zia was widely popular and is still remembered today for his efforts to strengthen the country’s military and economy.

 

Ghulam Ishaq Khan

 

 

Ghulam Ishaq Khan was the seventh president of Pakistan, serving from 1988 to 1993. He faced a number of significant challenges during his time in office, including political and economic instability.

He worked to restore democracy and improve relations with other countries, but his presidency was also marked by controversy and allegations of corruption. Khan resigned from office in 1993 and later died in 2006.

 

Muhammad Rafiq Tarar

 

 

Muhammad Rafiq Tarar was the eighth president of Pakistan, serving from 1998 to 2001. Tarar, a lawyer and jurist, became president after a military coup removed Nawaz Sharif’s government. His tenure was characterised by political turmoil, economic hardships, and increased tension with India.

He worked to improve relations with other countries and strengthen Pakistan’s economy, but his efforts were overshadowed by the challenges he faced. Tarar’s presidency ended in 2001 when he was succeeded by Pervez Musharraf.

 

Pervez Musharraf

 

 

Pervez Musharraf was the ninth president of Pakistan, serving from 2001 to 2008. He was a career military officer who took over as president following a military coup in 1999. Musharraf’s presidency was marked by a number of significant events, including the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan.

During his tenure, Musharraf introduced various controversial policies, including the implementation of strict Islamic laws and the dismissal of the chief justice.

However, he was well-liked by the Pakistani public and is remembered for his efforts to improve the military and economy. He resigned from office in 2008 and subsequently left the country.

 

Asif Ali Zardari

 

 

Asif Ali Zardari was the tenth president of Pakistan, serving from 2008 to 2013. He is a very famous personality in Pakistan. He is a politician and statesman who took over as president following the resignation of Pervez Musharraf.

During Zardari’s presidency, there was heightened political turmoil, economic struggles, and tensions with India. Despite his efforts to enhance relationships with other countries and boost the economy, these challenges overshadowed his initiatives. Zardari’s presidency ended in 2013 when he was succeeded by Mamnoon Hussain.

 

Mamnoon Hussain

 

 

Mamnoon Hussain was the eleventh president of Pakistan, serving from 2013 to 2018. He was a businessman and politician who took over as president following the completion of Asif Ali Zardari’s term. Hussain’s presidency was marked by political stability and economic growth, as well as improved relations with other countries.

He worked to strengthen Pakistan’s institutions and promote national unity and is remembered for his efforts to improve the country’s economy and infrastructure. Hussain’s presidency ended in 2018 when he was succeeded by Arif Alvi.

 

Arif Alvi

 

 

Arif Alvi is the current president of Pakistan, serving since 2018. He is a dentist, politician, and statesman who took over as president following the completion of Mamnoon Hussain’s term. During Alvi’s tenure as president, the country has experienced political stability, economic growth, and improved international relations.

He is currently addressing issues such as poverty, corruption, and terrorism. Alvi is the first president to have been born after the creation of Pakistan and is known for his efforts to modernise the country and improve the lives of its citizens.

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FAQs

 

Who is the 12 elected president of Pakistan?

Mamnoon Hussain (1940–2021)

Who completed 5 years pm in Pakistan?

No prime minister of Pakistan has yet served their full five year term.

Who is more powerful President or PM in Pakistan?

The President is a ceremonial head of state, and the Prime Minister is the head of the executive. Still, this provision made the President more powerful than the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister was subordinate to the President.

Who was the 3rd president of Pakistan?

Agha Muhammad Yahya Khan (4 February 1917 – 10 August 1980) was a Pakistani military officer, who served as the third president of Pakistan from 1969 to 1971.

Who was Pak first president?

Major General Iskander Mirza