The Chairperson is the chief executive of the Academy and chairs its Board of Governors. He/she is appointed by the Prime Minister for a tenure of three years. He/she is an eminent professional of known integrity, reputation, competence and expertise in the field of Pakistani languages and literature.
Dr. Shafiq ur Rehman (1980-1986) was appointed as the first Chairman of the Pakistan Academy of Letters. Prominent persons who subsequently held this position include Prof. Pareshan Khattak (1986-1989), Mr. Ahmed Faraz (1989-1990), Mr. Ghulam Rabbani A. Agro (1990-1993), Mr. Fakhar Zaman (1994-1997), Mr. Nazir Naji (1997-1999), Mr. Aftab Ahmed Shah (acting 1999), Mr. Mirza Muhammad Mushir (acting 1999-2000), Mr. Iftikhar Arif (2000-2008). Mr. Fakhar Zaman (2008-2010), Mr. Abdul Hameed (2012-2014), Mr. Shiraz Latif (additional 2014-2015), Dr. Muhammad Qasim Bughio (2015-2018), Mr. Abdul Majeed Khan Niazi (additional 2018), Mr. Syed Junaid Akhlaq (additional 2018-2019), Dr. Inam ul Haqq Javed (additional 2019:), Dr. Rashid Hameed (additional 2019), Mr. Muhammad Salman (additional 2020), Dr. Yusuf Khushk (2020-2023), and Mr. Muzaffar Ali Barki (acting 2023). Dr. Najeeba Arif is the current Chairperson, who assumed charge of the post in August, 2023, as the first-ever female Chairperson of the Academy.