Khawaja Nazimuddin — Pakistan’s 2nd Governor-General (1948–51) — is the only man to hold both the GG-ship and the premiership. His GG years were the calm between Jinnah’s storm and Ghulam Muhammad’s interventions.
Quick answer: Khawaja Nazimuddin was the 2nd Governor-General of Pakistan (14 Sep 1948 – 17 Oct 1951), succeeding Jinnah after his death. A Bengali aristocrat and constitutionalist, he kept the office within its limits — then stepped down to become the 2nd prime minister after Liaquat’s assassination.
In this guide
The GG Years
Nazimuddin’s three years as GG were deliberately unshowy: he let Liaquat govern, assented without drama, and embodied the constitutional GG — the opposite of what his successor would do with the same powers. A Dhaka nawab family man, Cambridge-educated, he represented the Bengali stake in Pakistan at the very top — significant in a state whose eastern wing held the majority.
The Step Down
When Liaquat was assassinated (Oct 1951), the Muslim League needed credibility: Nazimuddin resigned the GG-ship — a demotion in protocol — to take the premiership, with Ghulam Muhammad succeeding him as GG. It was a sacrifice: he traded the secure viceregal office for the exposed premiership. Within 18 months, the new GG would dismiss him. The PM story: 2nd prime minister of Pakistan.
The Bengali at the Top
Nazimuddin’s GG-ship mattered symbolically: a Bengali as head of state of a country whose eastern wing held the majority but whose power sat in the west. His presence was the federation’s promise made flesh — East Pakistan represented at the very top. When Bengalis were later marginalised, his tenure was remembered as the high-water mark of Bengali inclusion — before the language riots, before 1971. The federation’s promise, kept for three years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the 2nd GG?
Khawaja Nazimuddin (14 September 1948 – 17 October 1951) — who then became the 2nd prime minister.
Why did he step down?
To become prime minister after Liaquat Ali Khan’s assassination — trading the GG’s security for the premiership’s responsibility.
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