President Muhammad Rafiq Tarar hails from a relatively humble origin, and brings with him rich experience at the Bar and 31 years of public service. He is noted for his legal scholarship, honesty and devotion to justice.

Muhammad Rafiq Tarar was born on November 2, 1929, in a small village Pir Kot, Ghakkar Mandi, Wazirabad Tehsil. He had his schooling in Ghakkar Mandi, from where he completed his primary education and did his matriculation in 1945 from Government Islamia High School, Gujranwala. In 1947, he passed FSc. from Guru Nanak Khalsa College, Gujranwala, which was renamed as Islamic College after independence and graduated from the same college.

Rafiq Tarar got his law degree from Punjab University Law College in 1951 and started his legal practice in Gujranwala.

In October 1966, he was appointed as Additional Sessions Judge and served in the same capacity in Bahawalnagar and Sargodha.

He was elevated to the Lahore High Court in 1974, and served as a member of the Election Commission of Pakistan from 1980, until his elevation as Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court on December 13, 1989. He was elevated to the Supreme Court in January 1991. He retired in October 1994, and was elected as a senator in March 1997. Though, he is becoming president after only 10 months in active politics, he brings with him a rich experience of 31 years of public service.