Average tenure of 38 Punjab Governors has been 1.97 years

LAHORE: Having called the shots for six years and 200 days between October 29, 2001 and May 16, 2008, Lt. General (retd) Khalid Maqbool remains the longest-serving Punjab Governor, though the average tenure of the constitutional head of this province has approximately been 1.97 years during the 74 years and nine-and-a-half months or 897.5 months since August 1947 to be more precise.

Another Army General, Lt General Ghulam Jillani Khan enjoyed the second-largest term as Punjab Governor. He had occupied the vast and scenic Governor’s House Lahore for five years and 243 days between May 1, 1980, and December 30, 1985.

Although the office of governor is largely of a ceremonial nature, the powers of the provincial governors were vastly increased throughout the country’s turbulent political history, whenever the provincial assemblies were dissolved and the administrative role came under their direct control, as happened during the Martial Laws and a couple of Governor Rules.

In the case of Punjab, there was a direct Governor Rule from 1949–1951, when the provincial chief minister of the time was removed and assemblies had to be dissolved. Punjab’s first-ever Governor after the partition was Sir Francis Modie, who had served in this position for one year and 352 days.

Justice (retd) Khalilur Rehman had the shortest tenure of all. He served for just five days from November 6, 1996, to November 11, 1996. Rana Iqbal served for just nine days between January 4, 2011, and January 13, 2011. He had again served for 98 days between January 29, 2015, and May 7, 2015. Muhammad Ilyas served for just 28 days. Overall, some eight army generals have occupied this slot in Punjab.