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Pakistan's ousted president Rafiq Tarar on Wednesday night said he was removed from the post under the Provisional Constitutional Order (PCO) promulgated by military ruler Gen Pervez Musharraf who took over as the head of the state.
Tarar, in a statement from Lahore, said "I was told several days ago that appointment of the Chief Executive as the president is a must for the completion of the government's agenda and achievement of several national objectives. I was removed under PCO as president today."
His remarks came hours after a government statement said Tarar ceased to be the president, setting off speculation that he refused to resign.
The statement announcing that Musharraf has taken over and said 'Mohammad Rafiq Tarar has ceased to hold the office of the president with immediate effect' was apparently issued after Tarar's refusal.
It said Musharraf assumed the office of the president and will continue to hold the office of the Chief Executive.
Later in the evening, another government announcement said Musharraf had issued a separate proclamation saying that 'the person holding the office of the president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan immediately before the commencement of Proclamation of Emergency (Amendment) order, 2001, shall cease to hold the office with immediate effect'.
Though pictures of Musharraf hugging Tarar during their meeting on Wednesday morning were shown on the state television, it was evident the latter had not resigned and left in a huff, informed sources in Islamabad said.
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