Governor of Balochistan
Incumbent
Abdul Wali Kakar
since 3 March 2023
StyleThe Honorable (formal)
Reports toPresident of Pakistan
ResidenceGovernor House
SeatQuetta
NominatorPrime Minister of Pakistan
AppointerPresident of Pakistan
Constituting instrumentConstitution of Pakistan
Formation1 July 1970 (1 July 1970)
First holderRiaz Hussain
Websitegovernorbalochistan.gov.pk

The Governor of Balochistan is the head of the province of Balochistan, Pakistan. The post was established on 1 July 1970, after the dissolution of West Pakistan province and the end of One Unit. Under Pakistan's current parliamentary system, the governorship is a ceremonial position, as a symbol of the federation. The governor is appointed by the centre, whereas the principal head of the provincial government remains the elected Chief Minister of Balochistan.

Despite this, Balochistan has seen several periods of martial law or governor's rule where, in the absence of a chief minister, the governor exercised broad powers. As of March 2023, Malik Abd-ul-Wali Kakar is serving as acting governor after the resignation of Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha on 4 March 2023.[1]

The first governor of the province was Riaz Hussain (1970–1971). The longest-serving governor was Rahimuddin Khan (1978–1984).

Periods of governor's rule

Governor House in Quetta

After the dissolution of One Unit in 1970, Balochistan attained the status of a full province, administered by its first governor, General Riaz Hussain, pending general elections, which were held the same year. The left-wing National Awami Party (NAP) secured the highest number of votes in the province, whereas the ruling party at the centre, the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) under Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, secured none. The NAP ministry was however dismissed by Bhutto in 1973, and its senior leaders were imprisoned. Bhutto imposed governor's rule under Akbar Bugti, and military operations against tribal insurgents commenced in 1973.

After the Bhutto regime was overthrown in a military coup by General Zia-ul-Haq in 1977, the NAP leaders were released and the Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court, Khuda Bakhsh Marri, became governor; the other chief justices also became governors of their corresponding provinces. Marri was replaced by General Rahimuddin Khan, who announced a general amnesty, ending military action in the province.

Governor's rule returned under military ruler Pervez Musharraf, who dissolved the provincial government in 1999, and for a brief period under the fourth PPP ministry in 2013, culminating in the dismissal of the provincial government under Aslam Raisani amid rising sectarian violence.[2]

Powers of Governor

Governor is ceremonial head of Province appointed by President on advice of Prime Minister and serves until removed by President on advice of Prime Minister.

Governor is chancellor of public sector universities of province.

Governor appoints cabinet and take oath from elected chief minister and cabinet.He also appoint caretaker Chief Minister and Care Taker Cabinet and take oath from them.

Governor signs bills passed by Provincial Assembly of Balochistan than bills becomes law.

He also signs provincial budget passed by Provincial Assembly.

He can also promulgate ordinances when he is satisfied that Assembly is not in session but only on advice of cabinet.

He is bound to act on advice of cabinet and Chief Minister.

He also took oath from Chief Justice of Balochistan High Court.

He appoints Advocate General of Province on the advice of chief minister.

He appoints Chairman of Balochistan Public Service Commission on advice of Chief Minister.

He appoints Provincial Mohtasib Balochistan.

He can also impose governor rule on Province after advice from President and Federal Cabinet but in emergency situations.

He signs notificiations and orders promulgated by cabinet or respective departments.

He can dissolve provincial assembly on the advice of chief minister.He can also dissolve provincial assembly in his discretion when vote of no-confidence having been passed against the Chief Minister, no other member of the Provincial Assembly is likely to command the confidence of the majority of the members of the Provincial Assembly in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution, as ascertained in session of the provincial Assembly summoned for the purpose.

He has right to address in Provincial Assembly.

He can summon and prorogue the sessions of Provincial Assembly of Balochistan.

When he is satisfied that chief minister does not commands the confidence of majiorty of members of provincial assembly he can ask the chief minister to take vote of confidence of majiorty of members of assembly. When chief minister failed to take confidence vote. Governor can remove him and appoints chief ministers who has majiorty support in assembly.

Governor House

The seat of the Governor is located at Governor House, Quetta, constructed in 1888 during the British Raj. It was heavily damaged during the 1935 Quetta earthquake, but was repaired by the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon.

The Governor House was opened to the public in 2018, by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government.[3]

Government

The province was administered by a Chief Commissioner appointed by the Federal Government. Although there was no elected legislature the Chief Commissioner could consult the Shahi Jirga, an assembly of tribal leaders.

The province is composed of three groups of areas – the settled districts, the political agencies, and the tribal area. The settled areas were mainly the district around Quetta and Jaffarabad. The agencies were the Zhob agency to the north of Quetta and the Chagai agency to the west, which had a tenuous land link with the rest of the province. The tribal areas were the Bugti and Marri tribal agencies which would later become Provincially Administered Tribal Areas in the new Balochistan province.

No.Chief Commissioner of Balochistan[4] Tenure
1Sir Geoffrey Prior 15 August 1947 – 3 October 1947
2Sir Ambrose Dundas Flux Dundas 3 October 1947 – 8 April 1948
3Cecil Arthur Grant Savidge 9 April 1948 – 18 January 1949
4Sahibzada Mohammad Kursheed 19 January 1949 – 16 July 1949
5Mian Aminuddin 16 July 1949 – 18 November 1952
6Unknown 18 November 1952 – 13 February 1953
7Qurban Ali Khan 13 February 1953 – 8 November 1954
8Sardar Bahadur Khan 8 November 1954 – 19 July 1955
9R.A.F. Hyride 19 July 1955 – 25 July 1955
10R.A.M. Shaker 26 July 1955 – 14 October 1955
Province abolished 14 October 1955

see List of Chief Commissioners of Baluchistan

Governors of West Pakistan

No. Governor of West Pakistan[4] Portrait Tenure Party Background Form of Government
11 Mushtaq Ahmed Gurmani 14 October 1955 – 27 August 1957 Muslim League Democratic government
12 Akhter Husain September 1957 – 12 April 1960 Independent Military government
13 Amir Mohammad Khan 12 April 1960 – 18 September 1966 Muslim League Military government / Civilian authority
14 General (retired) Muhammad Musa 18 September 1966 – 20 March 1969 Independent Civilian Authority
15 Yusuf Haroon 20 March 1969 – 25 March 1969 Civilian Government Civilian Authority
No. Martial Law Administrator Tenure Term Type of Government Service in effect
16 Lieutenant-General Attiqur Rahman (first term) 25 March 1969 – 29 August 1969 Military Government Pakistan Army
17 Lieutenant-General Tikka Khan 29 August 1969 – 1 September 1969 Military Government Pakistan Army
18 Air Marshal Nur Khan 1 September 1969 – 1 February 1970 Military Government Pakistan Air Force
(16) Lieutenant-General Attiqur Rahman (second term) 1 February 1970 – 1 July 1970 Military Government Pakistan Army

List of governors of Balochistan

List of governors of Balochistan
Term Portrait Name Took office Left office Tenure Affiliation
1 Riaz Hussain 1 July 1970 25 December 1971 1 year, 177 days Military
2 Ghous Bakhsh Raisani 26 December 1971 29 April 1972 125 days Pakistan People's Party
3 Ghaus Bakhsh Bizenjo 30 April 1972 14 February 1973 290 days National Awami Party
4 Akbar Bugti 15 February 1973 31 December 1973 319 days Jamhoori Watan Party
5 Ahmad Yar Khan (Khan of Kalat) 1 January 1974 5 July 1977 3 years, 185 days Independent
6 Khuda Bakhsh Marri 6 July 1977 18 September 1978 1 year, 74 days Independent
7 Rahimuddin Khan 19 September 1978 21 March 1984 5 years, 184 days Military
8 F. S. Lodhi 22 March 1984 7 July 1984 107 days Military
9 K. K. Afridi 18 November 1984 30 December 1985 1 year, 42 days Military
10 Musa Khan 30 December 1985 12 March 1991 5 years, 72 days Independent
11 Gul Mohammad Khan Jogezai 13 July 1991 18 July 1993 2 years, 5 days Independent
12 Sardar Abdur Rahim Durrani 19 July 1993 18 May 1994 303 days Independent
13 Imran Ullah Khan 19 May 1994 10 April 1997 2 years, 326 days Pakistan People's Party
14 Miangul Aurangzeb 22 April 1997 17 August 1999 2 years, 117 days Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz)
15 Sayed Muhammad Fazal Agha 18 August 1999 12 October 1999 Independent
16 Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal 25 October 1999 31 January 2003 Independent
17 Abdul Qadir Baloch 1 February 2003 10 August 2003 Independent
18 Owais Ahmed Ghani 11 August 2003 5 February 2008 Independent
19 Zulfikar Ali Magsi 28 February 2008 9 June 2013 5 years, 101 days Pakistan People's Party
20 Muhammad Khan Achakzai 14 June 2013 9 October 2018 5 years, 87 days Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party
21 Amanullah Khan Yasinzai 4 October 2018 7 July 2021 Independent
22 Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha 9 July 2021 13 April 2022 278 days Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf
Mir Jan Muhammad Khan Jamali (Acting) 13 April 2022 3 March 2023 324 Days Balochistan Awami Party
23 Abdul Wali Kakar[5] 3 March 2023 Balochistan National Party (Mengal)

See also

References

  1. ↑ Shah, Syed Ali (2022-04-13). "Zahoor Ahmed Agha steps down as Balochistan governor". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  2. ↑ Butt, Qaisar; Zafar, Mohammad (2013-01-13). "Balochistan emergency: Governor's rule imposed". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 2022-07-28.
  3. ↑ Zafar, Muhammad. "Balochistan Governor House opens doors to public". Express Tribune. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  4. 1 2 "Pakistan Provinces". www.worldstatesmen.org. Retrieved 2022-08-23.
  5. ↑ "President Alvi appoints Abdul Wali Kakar governor Balochistan". The Express Tribune. 2023-03-03. Retrieved 2023-03-03.
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