President of Pakistan

Imagine a country is like a big team, and the President of Pakistan is like the team captain! This captain is called the 'head of state.' They are also the boss of Pakistan's brave soldiers, sailors, and pilots, called the armed forces. But, in Pakistan, the President mostly does special jobs and listens to the Prime Minister, who is like the team coach, to make big decisions.

It's a very important role!

A long, long time ago, in 1956, Pakistan decided to have a President. The very first one was Iskander Mirza. For a while, the President was super powerful, like the king of the castle!

But then, Pakistan decided it was better for the Prime Minister to be the main decision-maker, like in many schools where the principal is in charge. So, the President's job became more about special ceremonies and representing the country, like a friendly ambassador.

Even though the Prime Minister makes most of the big choices, the President has some cool powers. They can give pardons, which is like forgiving someone for a mistake. They also have a say in who leads the army, but they have to talk to the Prime Minister first.

The President lives in a special house in the capital city, Islamabad, called Aiwan-e-Sadar. If the President is away, the Chairman of the Senate steps in to help!

To become President, you have to be a Muslim and be at least 45 years old, which is much older than your parents! You can't just decide to be President; you have to be chosen by special people called an Electoral College. They vote for the President, and the job lasts for five years.

Right now, the President is Asif Ali Zardari, who started his job in March 2024. He's the 14th person to hold this important role!