Correct Answer:
C. Malik Ghulam Muhammad
Explanation:
The correct answer is Malik Ghulam Muhammad because he was picked to manage the country's treasury right after independence in 1947.
- Step 1 (Financial Setup): Starting out as a trained financial official, Malik Ghulam Muhammad was appointed by Jinnah to set up the new country's economic system and present its very first national budget.
- Step 2 (Later Career): He ran the finance ministry until 1951, when he transitioned to become the third Governor-General of Pakistan.
- Incorrect Options:
- Liaquat Ali Khan is incorrect because he was the Prime Minister, though he did present a famous budget in the pre-partition setup.
- Chaudhry Muhammad Ali is incorrect because he became a finance minister and prime minister later on.
- Zahid Hussain is incorrect because he served as the first Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan, not the Finance Minister.