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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.
| Governor of Balochistan | |
|---|---|
| |
 | |
since 6 May 2024 | |
| Style | The Honorable (formal) |
| Reports to | President of Pakistan |
| Residence | Governor House |
| Seat | Quetta |
| Nominator | Prime Minister of Pakistan |
| Appointer | President of Pakistan |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of Pakistan |
| Formation | 1 July 1970 |
| First holder | Riaz Hussain |
| Website | governorbalochistan |
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, Abdul 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).
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]
Governor is a ceremonial head of the Province appointed by the 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 the Province after advice from the President and Federal Cabinet but in emergency situations.
He signs notifications and orders promulgated by the cabinet or respective departments.
He can dissolve provincial assembly on the advice of chief minister. He can also dissolve provincial assembly at his discretion when vote of no-confidence has 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 the right to address in Provincial Assembly.
He can summon and prorogue the sessions of Provincial Assembly of Balochistan.
When he is satisfied that the chief minister does not command the confidence of the majority of members of the provincial assembly he can ask the chief minister to take a vote of confidence of the majority of members of the assembly. When the chief minister fails to take confidence vote. The governor can remove him and appoint a chief minister who has majority support in the assembly.
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]
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 districts 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sir Geoffrey Prior | 15 August 1947 – 3 October 1947 |
| 2 | Sir Ambrose Dundas Flux Dundas | 3 October 1947 – 8 April 1948 |
| 3 | Cecil Arthur Grant Savidge | 9 April 1948 – 18 January 1949 |
| 4 | Sahibzada Mohammad Kursheed | 19 January 1949 – 16 July 1949 |
| 5 | Mian Aminuddin | 16 July 1949 – 18 November 1952 |
| 6 | Unknown | 18 November 1952 – 13 February 1953 |
| 7 | Qurban Ali Khan | 13 February 1953 – 8 November 1954 |
| 8 | Sardar Bahadur Khan | 8 November 1954 – 19 July 1955 |
| 9 | R.A.F. Hyride | 19 July 1955 – 25 July 1955 |
| 10 | R.A.M. Shaker | 26 July 1955 – 14 October 1955 |
| Province abolished | 14 October 1955 |
see List of Chief Commissioners of Baluchistan
| 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 |
| 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 | .png) |
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 | 55 days | Independent | ||
| 16 | Amir-ul-Mulk Mengal | 25 October 1999 | 31 January 2003 | 3 years, 98 days | Independent | ||
| 17 | Abdul Qadir Baloch | 1 February 2003 | 10 August 2003 | 190 days | Independent | ||
| 18 | Owais Ahmed Ghani | 11 August 2003 | 5 February 2008 | 4 years, 178 days | 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 | 2 years, 245 days | Independent | ||
| 22 | Syed Zahoor Ahmad Agha | 9 July 2021 | 13 April 2022 | 278 days | Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf | ||
| 23 | Abdul Wali Kakar[5] | 3 March 2023 | 06 May 2024 | 1 year, 64 days | Balochistan National Party (Mengal) | ||
| 24 | Sheikh Jaffar Khan Mandokhail | 06 May 2024 | Pakistan Muslim League (N) | ||||
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