Muhammad Rafiq Tarar | |
|---|---|
محمد رفیق تارڑ | |
.jpg) Tarar in 2000 | |
| 9th President of Pakistan | |
| In office 1 January 1998 – 20 June 2001 | |
| Prime Minister | Nawaz Sharif (1998–1999) |
| Chief Executive | Pervez Musharraf (1999–2001) |
| Preceded by | Wasim Sajjad (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Pervez Musharraf |
| Member of Senate of Pakistan | |
| In office 1996–1998 | |
| Succeeded by | Rafique Rajwana |
| Senior Justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan | |
| In office 17 January 1992 – 1 November 1994 | |
| Nominated by | Benazir Bhutto |
| Appointed by | Ghulam Ishaq Khan |
| Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court | |
| In office 6 March 1989 – 31 October 1991 | |
| Appointed by | Tikka Khan |
| Preceded by | Abdul Shakurul Salam |
| Succeeded by | Mian Mahboob Ahmad |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Muhammad Rafiq 2 November 1929 Mandi Bahauddin, Punjab, British India (Now, Punjab, Pakistan) |
| Died | 7 March 2022 (aged 92) Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan |
| Nationality | Pakistani |
| Political party | Pakistan Muslim League (N) |
| Relatives | Saira Afzal Tarar (daughter-in-law) Attaullah Tarar (grandson) Bilal Farooq Tarar (grandson) |
| Alma mater | Government Islamia College, Gujranwala (BA) University of the Punjab (LLB) |
| Profession | Jurist |
| Cabinet | Sharif Cabinet |
Muhammad Rafiq Tarar (/rəˈfiːk təˈrɑːr/ ; Urdu: محمد رفیق تارڑ; 2 November 1929 – 7 March 2022) was a Pakistani politician and jurist who served as the ninth president of Pakistan from January 1998 until his resignation in June 2001, and prior to that as a senator from Punjab in 1997. Before entering politics, Tarar served as senior justice of the Supreme Court of Pakistan from 1992 to 1994 and as the 28th Chief Justice of Lahore High Court from 1989 to 1991.[1]
Tarar was born in Mandi Bahauddin, and graduated with LLB from University of the Punjab in 1951, before starting practice as a lawyer in Lahore High Court the following year.[2] In 1966, he pursued a career as a jurist. Tarar later served as a justice in Pakistan's highest courts. After his retirement at 65, he started a political career as a legal advisor to Nawaz Sharif. Tarar became a senator from Punjab in 1997 and the same year nominated as presidential candidate by PML-N, but his nomination paper was rejected by the Acting Chief Election Commissioner. Barrister Ijaz Husain Batalvi assisted by M. A. Zafar and Akhtar Aly Kureshy Advocate, challenged his rejection in Lahore High Court and the Full Bench set aside the rejection order of the Election Commission[3] and he was elected president of Pakistan in the presidential election by a margin of 374 out of 457 votes of the Electoral College.[4]
Tarar assumed office in January 1998 with heavy criticism by opposition especially from former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who accused him of illegally legitimizing dismissal of her government as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. As head of state, Tarar shifted Pakistan's system of government from semi-presidential system to parliamentary democratic system by signing the Thirteenth Constitutional Amendment. He surrendered his reserve power of dismissing the Prime Minister, triggering new elections and dissolving the National Assembly. He also signed the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendment to the constitution that limited the powers of the presidency from executive to a figurehead.[5]
Tarar resigned as President in 2001 in the wake of the 1999 Pakistani coup d'état.[6] He resisted and did not endorse the 12 October 1999 military coup. He was forced to step down by then Chief Executive Pervez Musharraf and ultimately succeeded by Musharraf through a referendum held in 2002.[7] Twenty months after seizing power in a coup, General Musharraf took the head of state's oath and became the fourth military ruler to become president.[8]
- ^ "Tarar sworn in as Pakistani president". BBC News. 1 January 1998. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Rafiq Tarar's Academic career". Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019.
- ^ "BBC News | Despatches | Court rules in favour of Pakistan President".
- ^ "Previous Presidents: Mr. Muhammad Rafiq Tarar". Presidency of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. Archived from the original on 25 April 2013. Retrieved 9 May 2013.
- ^ 12th Parliament of Pakistan (1973). Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan (13th Amendment ed.). 12th Parliament of Pakistan.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ "Tarar claims he is still president". 29 May 2003. Archived from the original on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
- ^ Reddy, B. Muralidhar (21 June 2001). "Rafiq Tarar forced to quit?". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 28 January 2015. Retrieved 28 January 2015.
- ^ "Coup chief declares himself president". 21 June 2001. Archived from the original on 21 October 2019. Retrieved 21 October 2019.