Who Was the First President of Pakistan?

Pakistan became independent in August 1947 — but its first President didn't take office until about eight and a half years later. Understanding why requires looking at how the country's constitutional structure evolved in its early years.

Iskander Mirza: Pakistan's first President

Iskander Mirza became the first President of Pakistan on 23 March 1956, according to the National Assembly of Pakistan's official list of presidents, when the country's first Constitution came into force and Pakistan formally became an Islamic Republic. He had already been serving as the country's Governor-General in the lead-up to that transition, and became President as the office was created under the new constitutional framework. His presidency lasted until 27 October 1958. Earlier that month, Mirza had abrogated the Constitution, declared martial law and appointed army chief General Ayub Khan as Chief Martial Law Administrator; Ayub then removed Mirza and sent him into exile, taking the presidency himself.

Why there was no President before 1956

From independence in August 1947 until March 1956, Pakistan was a Dominion within the Commonwealth, not yet a republic — it did not have a President because that office didn't exist yet under its transitional governing arrangements (initially the Government of India Act 1935, adapted for use as an interim constitution). During that period, the head of state was the Governor-General, a role representing the British monarch, similar to the arrangement in several other newly independent Commonwealth countries at the time.

Pakistan's first Governor-General was Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the country's founding leader, who held the position from independence until his death in September 1948. Several others held the role afterward, until it was replaced by the presidency when the 1956 Constitution took effect.

Why this distinction matters

It's a common point of confusion: Jinnah is often referred to, informally, as Pakistan's founding father and first head of state — both accurate descriptions — but he was never President, because the office didn't exist during his tenure. The first President, specifically, was Iskander Mirza, about eight and a half years after independence.

A quick timeline

• August 1947 — Pakistan gains independence as a Dominion; Muhammad Ali Jinnah becomes the first Governor-General.
• September 1948 — Jinnah dies in office; successive Governors-General serve through the early 1950s.
• 23 March 1956 — Pakistan's first Constitution takes effect, establishing it as an Islamic Republic; Iskander Mirza becomes the first President.
• 7 October 1958 — Mirza abrogates the Constitution and declares martial law, with General Ayub Khan as Chief Martial Law Administrator.
• 27 October 1958 — Ayub Khan removes Mirza and becomes President, beginning Pakistan's first period of military rule.

For more on how Pakistan's constitutional structure has evolved since then, see our explainer on who is the current President of Pakistan and how the office works today.