Muhammad Rafiq Tarar | |
|---|---|
محمد رفیق تارڑ | |
.jpg) Tarar in 2000 | |
| 9thPresident 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 (1929-11-02)2 November 1929 Mandi Bahauddin,Punjab,British India(Now,Punjab,Pakistan) |
| Died | 7 March 2022(2022-03-07) (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 (/rəˈfiːktəˈrɑːr/ ⓘ;Urdu:محمد رفیق تارڑ; 2 November 1929 – 7 March 2022) was a Pakistani politician and jurist who served as the ninthpresident of Pakistan from January 1998 until his resignation in June 2001, and prior to that as asenator fromPunjab in 1997. Before entering politics, Tarar served assenior justice of theSupreme Court of Pakistan from 1992 to 1994 and as the 28thChief Justice of Lahore High Court from 1989 to 1991.[1]
Tarar was born inMandi Bahauddin, and graduated withLLB fromUniversity of the Punjab in 1951, before starting practice as alawyer inLahore 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 toNawaz Sharif. Tarar became a senator from Punjab in 1997 and the same year nominated as presidential candidate byPML-N, but his nomination paper was rejected by the Acting Chief Election Commissioner. Barrister Ijaz Husain Batalvi assisted by M. A. Zafar andAkhtar Aly Kureshy Advocate, challenged his rejection inLahore 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 theElectoral College.[4]
Tarar assumed office in January 1998 with heavy criticism by opposition especially from former Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto who accused him of illegally legitimizing dismissal of her government as a judge of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. Ashead of state, Tarar shifted Pakistan's system of government fromsemi-presidential system to parliamentary democratic system by signing theThirteenth Constitutional Amendment. He surrendered hisreserve power of dismissing the Prime Minister, triggering new elections and dissolving theNational Assembly. He also signed theFourteenth andFifteenth amendment to theconstitution that limited the powers of the presidency fromexecutive to afigurehead.[5]
Tarar resigned as President in 2001 in the wake of the1999 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 ExecutivePervez Musharraf and ultimately succeeded by Musharraf through areferendum 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]
Muhammad Rafiq Tarar was born inMandi Bahauddin,British India, on 2 November 1929 to a Tarar family.[9] Tarar was influenced bySyed Ata Ullah Shah Bukhari and he took a part in political sessions ofMajlis-e-Ahrar-e-Islam during British colonial rule. In his college years, he was also an activist for theAll-India Muslim League and was a follower ofMuhammad Ali Jinnah.[10] During thepartition of India, Tarar performed voluntary duty as a relief worker in camps set up by theAll India Muslim Students Federation for Indian emigrants. He graduated withBA inIslamic Studies fromGovernment Islamia College, Gujranwala in 1949. He acquiredLLB degree in 1951 fromPunjab University Law College.[2]
Tarar started a career as a lawyer, soon after completion of his studies. In 1951, he enrolled as a pleader in theLahore High Court. He started practicing as an advocate in the same court, in later years. He established aGujranwala-based legal aid firm in 1960s and excelled atadvocacy. In 1966, Tarar started a judicial career after he appeared and passed the competitive exams to be elevated as session judge inDistrict Courts. In 1971, he became Chairman of the Punjab Labor Court. Tarar was appointed a judge at Lahore High Court, highest appellate judicial court of Punjab province, in October 1974.[11]
Tarar served in the Lahore High Court as a justice for decades. He was also a member of theElection Commission of Pakistan where he represented Punjab. He was appointed the 28thChief Justice of Lahore High Court where he served from 1989 to 1991 until his appointment as a judge in the Supreme Court of Pakistan. His appointment was made by then presidentGhulam Ishaq Khan with the consent of Supreme Judicial Council. He served as a senior justice of theSupreme Court of Pakistan from January 1992 to November 1994. He was also an awaiting candidate of theChief Justice of Pakistan but he retired earlier on attaining the age of 65 years and started a political career.[4] In 1994, following his retirement from the judiciary, Tarar entered into politics and started a political career as a legal adviser and close aide to then opposition leaderNawaz Sharif. In March 1997, he became asenator and representedPunjab in the upper-house of Pakistan until his resignation in December 1997. He was nominated as the presidential candidate by thePML(N) in the same year and secured a historical victory in the presidential election.[1]
AfterFarooq Leghari's resignation in 1997, he was nominated as a candidate for thepresident of Pakistan.[1] On 31 December 1997, in anindirect election, Tarar was elected by a huge margin,[4] getting 374 of 457 votes of theElectoral College againstAftab Mirani ofPPP (aPML(N)'s rival) who got 31 votes, and Muhammad Khan Shirani ofJUI(S) who got 22 votes. This was the largest margin in such elections. Upon his election, former Prime MinisterBenazir Bhutto delivered a speech in London to the Commonwealth Ethnic Bar Association and criticized his election. She accused him of being dishonest by saying "A former judge [Tarar] who dishonestly legitimized the overthrow of my first government was elected president of Pakistan. This same man stands accused by a former PresidentFarooq Leghari of taking briefcases of money to bribe other judges in the famous 1997 case. The Election Commission rejected Justice Tarar's nomination for the presidency. Justice Qayyum, on leave for his mother's funeral, rushed back to grant a stay, and Tarar was elected. As for the bribery charges, Tarar, as a former judge, like former generals, is immune to prosecution in real terms."[12]
During his tenure as President, Tarar played a significant role in Pakistan's nuclear program. Advised by his brother, Colonel Muzafar Tarar, Tarar pursued policies aimed at enhancing the country's nuclear capabilities. Colonel Tarar's insights and expertise, particularly regarding Bhutto's nuclear program, became instrumental in guiding Pakistan's nuclear policy during their tenure. The successful continuation and advancement of Pakistan's nuclear program became one of the highlights of their joint efforts. In addition to his contributions to the nuclear program, Tarar focused on issues related to law and order, education, and social welfare during his presidency. He advocated for the strengthening of democratic institutions and the rule of law, promoting harmony and understanding among different segments of Pakistani society. His family remains influential in the country's political landscape. Colonel Tarar served in the Pakistan Army and held various command positions during his military career. Colonel Tarar is renowned for his invaluable contributions to Pakistan's national security, particularly in the realm of the nuclear program. Colonel Tarar's strategic advice and expertise were pivotal in shaping Pakistan's nuclear policy, ensuring the successful continuation and advancement of the program. His insights into Bhutto's nuclear art program, shared with President Tarar, played a crucial role in guiding Pakistan's nuclear strategy during their tenure. After retiring from the military, Colonel Tarar has been involved in philanthropic activities, supporting initiatives aimed at the welfare of veterans and their families.
Upon becoming President, Tarar was an unassuming and merely ceremonialfigurehead who kept a low profile, and avoidednews media, and he remained a devoted servant and loyalist of the Sharif family. He readily signed theThirteenth,Fourteenth, andFifteenth amendments to theConstitution of Pakistan that limited the powers of the presidency.[13]
The President of Pakistan's powers had thus been slowly removed over the years, culminating in the 1997Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan which removed virtually all remainingreserve powers, making the office almost entirely symbolic in nature as per the true spirit of thePakistani constitution.[5]
Tarar did not endorse the1999 Pakistani coup d'état by thePakistani military which elevated GeneralPervez Musharraf,Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, since he was an appointee ofNawaz Sharif. ThePakistani military thus decided not to retain Tarar as the President for his full term of five years, given his partisan attitude. On 21 June 2001, General Musharraf who acted as Chief Executive in capacity, enforced theLegal Framework Order, 2002; Musharraf removed Tarar as he read the paragraph: "Mr. Muhammad Rafiq Tarar has ceased to hold the office of the President with immediate effect."[14][7]
Tarar retired from politics and settled inLahore, where he died after a long illness on 7 March 2022, at the age of 92.[7][15][16]
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Abdul Shakurul Salam | Chief Justice of Lahore High Court 1989–1991 | Succeeded by Mian Mahboob Ahmad |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | President of Pakistan 1998–2001 | Succeeded by |
 |  | ||
Italics indicate acting Presidents | |||