The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of
Pakistan provides for a Federal Parliamentary System
of government, with President as the Head of State and
the popularly elected Prime Minister as Head of government.
The Federal Legislature is a bicameral Majlis-e-Shoora
(Parliament), composed of the National Assembly
and the Senate. The Constitution also provides for the
President to address the two Houses assembled together
at the commencement of the first session after General
Elections:
| President,
Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
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General
Pervez Musharraf
Nishan-I-Imtiaz (Military),
Tamgha-i-Basalat,
General Pervez Musharraf was sworn in as the 11th
President of Pakistan and concurrently held with
it the office of Chief Executive till 23rd November,
2002: After fulfilling his commitment to the people
of Pakistan to hold general elections in the country
on 10th October 2002, he transferred the powers
of Chief Executive to the newly elected Prime
Minister. |
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General Pervez Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 which was widely condemned and which led to Pakistan's suspension from the Commonwealth until 2004.
But he shook off his pariah status and gained foreign acceptance after he backed the US-led campaign against terror following the attacks on America on 11 September 2001.
The president has waged a campaign against Islamic extremists, banning several groups. But his stance against militancy has not been well received in some quarters; the general has survived a number of assassination attempts.
In 2002 General Musharraf awarded himself another five years as president, together with the power to dismiss an elected parliament. The handover from military to civilian rule came with parliamentary elections in November 2002, and the appointment of a civilian prime minister.
He held onto his military role, reneging on a promise to give up his army post and to become a civilian president.
In October 2007 he won the support of most parliamentarians in controversial presidential elections. However, the Supreme Court had earlier ruled that the winner could not be formally announced before it had ruled on whether General Musharraf was eligible to stand.
In early November, the general pre-empted the Supreme Court's ruling on his eligibility by imposing emergency rule and dismissing judges opposed to his candidacy, a move that received widespread condemnation in the international community.
The new Supreme Court confirmed President Musharraf's right to stand, clearing the way for him to become a civilian leader. He quit his army post soon afterwards and in mid-December lifted the state of emergency.
Parliamentary elections were scheduled to take place on 8 January 2008, but were postponed until 18 February on account of the unrest caused by the assassination of opposition leader Benazir Bhutto.
The party which backed Mr Musharraf conceded defeat in the polls.
President Musharraf was born in Delhi in 1943 and his family emigrated to Pakistan after the partition of the Indian sub-continent.
His military career began in 1964 and included spells of training in the UK. He became head of military operations when Ms Bhutto was prime minister, and then head of the army in 1998. For more on the President
| Prime
Minister of Islamic Republic of Pakistan |
Yusuf Raza Gillani
By his own admission, Pakistan's new prime minister, Yusuf Raza Gillani, has not been one of the "good boys" who has followed the bidding of President Pervez Musharraf.
The regime tried to coerce him into joining many of his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) colleagues in switching sides.
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But Mr Gillani refused to do a deal with Mr Musharraf and his loyalty is much admired within his party.
He went to jail in 2001, serving five years following a conviction over illegal government appointments.
This was during his term as Speaker of parliament between 1993-96.
The sentence was passed by an anti-corruption court formed by President Musharraf as part of what he termed measures to cleanse politics. His opponents say it was a means of intimidating and coercing their members to join his government.
For Mr Gillani that was never a choice, his supporters say. A tall, softly-spoken man with an air of authority, supporters say he is known for doing the right thing.
In 1995, Mr Gillani issued instructions for the release of parliamentarians detained by his own PPP government.
When the interior ministry refused to oblige, he had the matter brought on record - a quite unprecedented action.
His remarks after he was sentenced in 2001 were similarly unequivocal.
He told the Dawn newspaper that the charges were "concocted and were fabricated to pressurise him to leave the PPP".
"Since I am unable to oblige them, they decided to convict me so that I could be disqualified and an example set for other political leaders who may learn to behave as good boys," he said at the time.
His stance and defiance won him many admirers, even among the government.
Political family
Anti-establishment politics and leadership is seen as something of a birth right for him.
He was born on 9 June 1952 in Karachi but his family hails from the Punjab.
The Gillanis are among the most prominent of landowners and spiritual leaders in the south of the province. Their home town is the ancient Punjabi city of Multan, one of the oldest unbroken human settlements in the world.
The family's prominence naturally led to vying for political power.
His grandfather and grand-uncles joined the All India Muslim league and were signatories of the 1940 Pakistan resolution. This was the declaration which eventually led to partition.
His father, Alamdar Hussain Gillani served as a provincial minister in the 1950s.
Mr Gillani joined up in 1978 when he became a member of the Muslim League's central leadership.
This was soon after he completed his MA in journalism at the University of Punjab.
His first term as a public servant was as a nominee of General Zia-ul-Haq.
The Pakistan Army chief had been the country's dictator since he overthrew elected Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in a 1977 coup.
Mr Bhutto was later executed in 1979, an act that forever soured the relationship between the army and the PPP.
Mr Gillani was elected as the chairman of the Multan union council in 1983.
Two years later he was elected to the federal parliament. It was during this first stint that circumstances arose which led to his leaving the League.
While serving as a minister he fell out with then Prime Minister Mohammad Ali Junejo. This led to him being replaced as minister and sidelined in the party.
In his book, Chah-e-Yusuf ki Sada (Reflections from Yusuf's Well), which he wrote in jail, he said: "I was furious, and helpless at the same time, I knew I could not continue... and then I made up my mind."
Bhutto loyalist
Mr Gillani says he went to Karachi to meet Benazir Bhutto, Zulfiqar Bhutto's daughter, then very much in the political wilderness.
General Zia was still in power and the PPP faced an uncertain future.
Mr Gillani says he presented his offer to immediately join the PPP.
"Ms Bhutto said to me, 'There is nothing I can offer you, why have you come?'"
Mr Gillani said his reply was what sealed his relationship with the PPP and the Bhuttos.
"I said to her, there are three types of people in this world. "Lovers of honour, of wisdom and of wealth. I am of the first type, and that is all I want."
Soon afterward, General Zia dismissed Mr Junejo's government. Mr Gillani then joined the PPP, months before the general's death bought an end to its political exile.
Observers say it is his loyalty and his disdain for politicking within the party that has earned him the nomination for prime minister.
Many believe he would be willing to quietly step aside if Ms Bhutto's widower Asif Zardari becomes an MP and therefore eligible to become prime minister.
Mr Zardari is currently the party chairman, and party leaders believe another person being prime minister would create internal divisions.
"[Mr Gillani] was perhaps the only man among the top leadership who did not badger Zardari for this or any other position," says one PPP insider. "This along with the fact of his proven loyalty, has earned him the nod.
"They know that this more or less guarantees he will abide by all future party decisions over changes in government." For more on the Prime Minister
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List
of Presidents
NB: The head
of state of Pakistan before 1956 was the King
of Pakistan and before 1947 was the Emperor of India. George VI was King-Emperor until 1948 and
just King until 1952 and Elizabeth II succeeded
him as Queen until 1956. For the Governors-General
who represented them from 1947 to 1956, see Governor-General of Pakistan.
Iskander
Mirza
(March 23, 1956 to October 27, 1958)
Muhammad Ayub Khan* (October 27, 1958 - March 25, 1969)
Yahya Khan* (March 25, 1969 - December 20, 1971)
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto (December 20, 1971 - August 13, 1973)
Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry (13-Aug-1973 to September 16, 1978)
Muhammad Zia ul-Haq* (September 16, 1978 - August 17 ,1988)
Ghulam Ishaq Khan (August 17, 1988 - July 18, 1993)
Wasim Sajjad (July 18, 1993 - November 14, 1993)
Farooq Leghari (November 14, 1993 - December 2, 1997)
Wasim Sajjad (December 2, 1997 - January 1, 1998)
Muhammad Rafiq Tarar (January 1, 1998 - June 20, 2001)
Pervez Musharraf* (June 20, 2001 - present)
note
- * denotes military leaders |
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