National Flag of Pakistan
According to aceinland, the national flag of Pakistan is a green and white banner that symbolizes the country’s Muslim faith. The flag is composed of a deep green field, which represents the traditional color of Islam, and a white strip at the hoist side. The green field is divided into two equal horizontal stripes by a white vertical stripe, which stands for the minority religious communities in Pakistan. At the center of the flag is a white crescent moon and five-pointed star, which represent progress and light respectively.
The current design of the Pakistani flag was adopted in 1947 upon independence from Britain. Prior to this, various flags were used throughout its history including those used by Mughal rulers and by British India. The current design was chosen as it was thought to be a unifying symbol for all citizens regardless of their faith or ethnicity.
The symbolism behind the national flag has been interpreted in various ways over time. For example, some have seen it as representing Pakistan’s commitment to religious freedom while others have interpreted it as an expression of solidarity with other Islamic countries in the region. In addition to its symbolic significance, the Pakistani flag also serves an important role in national identity and pride for citizens both at home and abroad. It can be seen flying on government buildings throughout Pakistan as well as at international sporting events where Pakistani athletes are competing.
Presidents of Pakistan
The President of Pakistan is the head of state and commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces. The president is elected by the Electoral College for a five-year term, renewable once.
The first president of Pakistan was Iskander Mirza, who was appointed on 23 March 1956. Mirza served in this capacity until 27 October 1958 when martial law was declared and he was deposed by General Ayub Khan. Khan served as president until 1969 when he handed over power to General Yahya Khan after a short period as Chief Martial Law Administrator.
General Zulfikar Ali Bhutto then took over power through a constitutional amendment in December 1971 and served as president until 1973 when he was replaced by Fazal Elahi Chaudhry. Chaudhry held office until 1978, when Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq assumed power through a military coup and became the longest serving president in Pakistani history, remaining in office until his death in 1988.
Ghulam Ishaq Khan took over as acting president from 1988 to 1993 before being succeeded by Farooq Leghari who held office from 1993 to 1997. Leghari’s successor was Rafiq Tarar who remained in office until 2001 before being replaced by Pervez Musharraf who held office from 2001 to 2008. Musharraf’s successor Asif Ali Zardari assumed office from 2008 to 2013 before being succeeded by Mamnoon Hussain who is currently serving his second term as President of Pakistan since 2013.
Prime Ministers of Pakistan
The Prime Minister of Pakistan is the head of government and chief executive of the federal government. The prime minister is appointed by the President, on the advice and with the consent of the National Assembly.
The first prime minister of Pakistan was Liaquat Ali Khan, who served from 15 August 1947 to 16 October 1951. After his assassination in 1951, Khawaja Nazimuddin took office until 17 April 1953 when he was replaced by Ghulam Muhammad who served as prime minister until 12 August 1955.
Chaudhry Muhammad Ali became prime minister in 1955 and held office until 1956 when he was replaced by Ibrahim Ismail Chundrigar who served as acting prime minister for a brief period before martial law was imposed in October 1958.
After martial law ended in 1972, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto became Prime Minister and remained in office until 1977 when he was deposed by General Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq and executed in 1979. General Zia then assumed power through a military coup and held office from 1977 to 1988 before being succeeded by Benazir Bhutto who became the first female Prime Minister of Pakistan from 1988 to 1990.
Bhutto’s successor Nawaz Sharif then took over for three non-consecutive terms from 1990 to 1999 before being overthrown by General Pervez Musharraf during a military coup in 1999. Musharraf then held office until 2008 before being succeeded by Yousaf Raza Gillani who served as prime minister till 2012 when he was replaced by Raja Pervez Ashraf who remained in office till 2013 when Nawaz Sharif once again assumed power for his third non-consecutive term which lasted till 2017 when Shahid Khaqan Abbasi took over as caretaker Prime Minister till 2018 when Imran Khan assumed power as Prime Minister of Pakistan and currently holds this position since 2018.