Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry

Fazal Ilahi Chaudhry

Fazal Elahi Chaudhry (Punjabi, Urdu: فضل الہی چودہری‎; January 1, 1904 - June 2, 1982), was the fifth President of Pakistan, serving from 1973 until 1978, prior to the martial law led by Chief of Army Staff General Zia-ul-Haq. (see codename Fair Play)

After the successful promulgation of country's constitution in 1973, Chaudhry was elected as the president, succeeded Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and became the first president of country from the Punjabi class of the Punjab Province. Taking an active role in the Pakistan Movement through the platform of the Muslim League, Chaudhry was appointed minister in the Liaquat Ali Khan government in 1947, and further joined the Pakistan permanent representative's delegation to the United Nations in 1951.

His presidency was a mere figurehead as per the constitution, since the heading of the government's operations remained the authority of prime minister. After the success of the Fair Play— a codename of the operation to remove Zulfikar Ali Bhutto from power — Chaudhry continued his presidency but had no influence in the government operations or the military and national affairs. After contentious relations with the military, Chaudhry was relinquished from the office after resigning from his presidency, despite the urging of the Chief of Army Staff and Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff. On September 16, 1978, Chaudhry handed the charge of the presidency to ruling military general Zia-ul-Haq who succeeded him as the sixth president, in addition to being the Chief Martial Law Administrator and the Chief of Army Staff.