page_title: President of Pakistan
section_title: Role of the president
hierarchical_section_title: President of Pakistan / Powers and authority / Role of the president
caption_attribution_description: English: Pakistan cavalry honor guard welcomes President George W. Bush to Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad, Pakistan.
context_page_description: The president of Pakistan, is the head of state of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Armed Forces, per the Constitution of Pakistan. The president of Pakistan represents the "unity of the Republic" in accordance to the Constitution of Pakistan.
  The president is kept informed by the prime minister of Pakistan on all matters of internal and foreign policy, as well as all legislative proposals. The Constitution vests the president with the powers of granting pardons, reprieves, and the control of the military; however, all appointments at higher commands of the military must be made by the president on a "required and necessary" basis, upon consultation and approval from the Prime Minister. In addition, the Constitution prohibits the president from exercising the authority of running the government.
  The president is indirectly elected by the Parliament of Pakistan through the Electoral College for a five-year term. The Constitution requires the president to be a "Muslim of not less than forty five years of age". The president resides in an estate in Islamabad known as Aiwan-e-Sadar. There have been a total of 13 presidents.
context_section_description: The official residence and principal workplace of the president is Aiwan-e-Sadr—  the presidential palace located in northeastern Islamabad. The presidency forms the vital institutional organ of state and is part of the bicameral Parliament.
  Powers to exercise the authority are limited to the ceremonial figurehead, and required to address the Parliament to give a direction for national policies before being informed of its key decisions.
  In addition, the president is also a civil commander-in-chief of the military, with Chairman joint chiefs being its chief military adviser to maintain the control of the military. After a thorough confirmation comes from the prime minister, the president confirms the judicial appointments in the national court system. In addition, the Constitution allows the president to grant pardons, reprieves, and clemency in cases recommended to him by the executive and the judiciary. The president himself has absolute constitutional immunity from criminal and civil proceedings, and no proceedings can be initiated or continued against him during the term of his office.
  There shall be a President of Pakistan who shall be the Head of State and shall represent the "unity of the Republic."
  — Article 41 in Chapter 1: The President of Part III: The Federation of Pakistan in the Constitution of Pakistan, source
  From 2000 until 2009, the president was the chairman of the National Security Council who had authority and control over the nuclear and strategic arsenals; however, the chairmanship and the powers transferred back to the prime minister. Furthermore, the presidential powers have significantly declined with Pakistan's government reversed to a parliamentary democratic republic.
caption: The Ceremonial guard of honour at the Aiwan-e-Sadr.
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