Correct Answer:
B. Sir Francis Mudie
Explanation:
The correct answer is Sir Francis Mudie because he was officially appointed as the inaugural Governor of West Punjab following the independence and partition of Pakistan in August 1947.
- Step 1 (Historical Assignment): Sir Francis Mudie was a British civil servant who transitioned from colonial administration roles to serve as the first post-independence Governor of the Punjab province from August 15, 1947, to August 2, 1949.
- Step 2 (National Legacy): He was succeeded by Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar, who went on to become the first native Pakistani governor of the province.
- Incorrect Options:
- Sardar Abdur Rab Nishtar is incorrect because he was the second Governor of Punjab, taking office in 1949 after Mudie's term concluded.
- Sir George Cunningham is incorrect because he was appointed as the first post-independence Governor of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (then NWFP) province rather than Punjab.
- None of these is incorrect because 'Sir Francis Mudie' is the accurate historical figure.