Correct Answer:
B. Sir Francis Mudie
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.