Vice President of Pakistan

The vice president of Pakistan (Urdu: نائب صدر پاکستان‎) was a political office which existed between 1971 and 1973. In practice, it was the second highest office in the country after the president of Pakistan, holding the status of the deputy head of state, and ranking first in the presidential line of succession.[3] Established in December 1971, the post remained in effect until the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan was promulgated in August 1973, under which it was formally abolished.[1]

Vice President of Pakistan
نائب صدر پاکستان
Incumbent
Seat abolished[1]
since 14 August 1973
StyleMr. Vice President
(informal)
The Honourable
(formal)
His Excellency
(diplomatic)[2]
StatusDeputy head of state
Member of
Reports toPresident of Pakistan
SeatIslamabad
AppointerPresident of Pakistan
Inaugural holderNurul Amin
Formation20 December 1971 (1971-12-20)
SuccessionFirst[3]

Nurul Amin remains the first and only officeholder in Pakistan's history to have occupied this position.[1]

History

The office of vice president was established in December 1971. It followed the suspension of the 1962 constitution and the imposition of martial law earlier in March 1969 by general Yahya Khan. Yahya also dissolved the parliament, dismissed civilian officials from Ayub's administration, and enforced law and order while declaring himself president and Chief Martial Law Administrator (CMLA).[4][5] Because the post was created during martial law and was not specified in the preceding constitution, it did not have practical and legally defined functions. According to Rafi Raza, it had a symbolic significance in the sense that it would provide East Pakistan representation in the federation's executive branch of government.[6]

The vice president reserved the power to serve as acting president during the president's official absence or overseas trips.[3] On 29 May 1972, Bhutto embarked on a 13-day state visit to 14 countries across Africa and the Middle East, returning on 10 June. During this time, Amin stepped in as acting president.[3][7] He is reported to have performed this duty on multiple occasions, participating in public events, conferences and site visits in presidential capacity.[8][9][10][11][12]

Amin was of Bengali origin.[13]

Amin was sworn-in as vice president a second time on 23 April 1972,[14] following the introduction of an interim constitution, which also required Bhutto to take oath again as president on 21 April.[15][16][17][18] The interim constitution brought about the end of martial law under which the country had been operating, and conferred power to the new civilian government.[15][16][18]

After the 1973 constitution, Bhutto assumed the role of Prime Minister.[15] Under the new constitution, the president was largely a ceremonial figurehead whilst the Prime Minister was granted greater executive powers.[15] The constitution was framed by members of the National Assembly and came into effect on 14 August 1973.[15]

Under the current line of succession, the Chairman of the Senate shall act as president in the event of the president's absence, resignation, removal or death, or if the president is unable to discharge official duties.[19] The Speaker of the National Assembly stands second in the line of succession.[19] The office of the acting president remains in force until a president is elected through the Electoral College, in accordance with Article 41(3) of the constitution.[19]

Vice president
No. Portrait Name
(Birth–death)		 Took office Left office Political party
(Alliance)		 Note(s) Ref(s)
1 Nurul Amin
(1893–1974)		 20 December 1971 13 August 1973 Pakistan Muslim League PML Served as vice president. [1]

See also

References
  1. "Nurul Amin, 80, of Pakistan; Vice President Until 1973". The New York Times. 3 October 1974. Retrieved 3 April 2020. Nurul Amin, former Vice President of Pakistan, died here today after suffering a heart attack... He was loyal to Pakistan when the country was divided after the war with India in 1971 and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, then the President, made him Vice President as a reward. He held the post until it was abolished under the Constitution introduced in August, 1973.
  2. Survey of China Mainland Press. American Consulate General. September 1972. p. 86. I propose a toast to Sino-Pakistan friendship, to the prosperity and strength of Pakistan and the wellbeing of the people, to the health and long life of His Excellency President Bhutto, to the health of His Excellency Vice-President Nurul Amin, to the health of their Excellencies and to the health of all Pakistan friends present here.
  3. Pakistan Affairs. The Embassy. 1972. p. 2. Mr. Bhutto was given a rousing send-off from here on May 29 as he and a 40-member entourage, including Begum Nusrat Bhutto emplaned on a special PIA Boeing. Vice President Nurul Amin assumed the office of Acting President during the President's absence.
  4. Omar, Imtiaz (2002). Emergency powers and the courts in India and Pakistan. England: KLUWER LAW INTERNATIONAL. ISBN 978-9041117755.
  5. KrishnaRao, K.V. (1991). Prepare or perish : a study of national security. New Delhi: Lancer Publ. ISBN 978-8172120016.
  6. Rafi Raza (1997). Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and Pakistan, 1967-1977. Oxford University Press. p. 144. ISBN 978-0-19-577697-3. Nurul Amin had been sworn in earlier as Vice President. This post was not specified in the Constitution, such as it was under Martial Law, and had no practical function apart from allowing East Pakistan token representation in the Federation.
  7. United States. Central Intelligence Agency (1972). Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts. p. 13. President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto this morning left Islamabad for Abu Dhabi on a 13-day state visit to 14 Middle East and African countries... Nurul Amin will be acting president during President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto's absence.
  8. Indus. Hamid Jalal. 1972. p. 3. This was stated by Mr Nurul Amin, Acting President of Pakistan after his day-long tour of the project... With the help of charts, maps and a model, the Project Chief explained to the Acting President details of the Indus Basin Projects which have already been completed and the progress of construction work at Tarbela Dam. The Acting President took keen interest in the project and asked a number of questions particularly the silting problem in Tarbela lake, the life of the dam, working conditions of the labourers and the progress of construction work at the damsite.
  9. Economic Revival and Private Enterprise in Pakistan: Proceedings of the Businessmen's Conference, Karachi, May 14-17, 1973. Chamber of Commerce & Industry. 1973. Conference was inaugurated on 14th May 1973 by our respected leader Mr. Nurul Amin who was then functioning as the Acting President of Pakistan.
  10. Chamber of Commerce & Industry (Pakistan) (1973). Trade Journal. Karachi Chamber of Commerce & Industry. p. 15, 30. Businessmen's Conference from May 14 to 17, 1973, which was inaugurated by the Acting President of Pakistan, Mr. Nurul Amin... Last year, we organized the National Businessmen's Conference in May 1973 and this was conceived with the personal support of President Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and was inaugurated by the Acting President Mr. Nurul Amin.
  11. News Review on South Asia and Indian Ocean. Institute for Defence Studies & Analyses. 1972. p. 25. The Pakistan Vice-President, Nurul Amin, on 24 January, assumed charge as President, in the absence abroad of Bhutto, Radio Pakistan reported. (The Statesman, 25 January)
  12. Kassim Dada (1988). A ramble through life. Sikandar. p. 96. Presenting a memento to the Acting President of Pakistan, Nurul Amin, Lahore, March 1972.
  13. Browne, Malcolm W. (22 December 1971). "Bhutto Appoints a Bengali To Serve as Vice President". The New York Times. Retrieved 4 April 2020.
  14. Teenager. M.M. Ahmed. 1974. p. 54. Mr. Nurul Amin was sworn in as the Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan on April 23, 1972.
  15. Chahryar Adle (1 January 2005). History of Civilizations of Central Asia: Towards the contemporary period : from the mid-nineteenth to the end of the twentieth century. UNESCO. p. 430. ISBN 978-92-3-103985-0.
  16. United States. Central Intelligence Agency (1972). Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts. p. 7. The president said until the president of the assembly is sworn in, the vice president, Mr Nurul Amin, who is the senior parliamentarian, would preside over the session.
  17. Europa Publications; Europa Publications limited (2001). A Political Chronology of Central, South and East Asia. Psychology Press. p. 218. ISBN 978-1-85743-114-8.
  18. Lorne Neudorf (22 February 2017). The Dynamics of Judicial Independence: A Comparative Study of Courts in Malaysia and Pakistan. Springer. p. 162. ISBN 978-3-319-49884-3. An interim Constitution was passed and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was sworn in as President on 21 April 1972 under a new civilian government.
  19. "Part III: The Federation of Pakistan – Chapter 1: The President". Pakistani.org. 2020. Retrieved 3 April 2020.
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