This article I am posting here is very awakening... however some readers may have argument(s) and opine against. Arguments are welcome... because we are here to enjoy a healthy environment so we should keep a broad vision and respect the opposite views but only if convincing and digestible. The motive is to determine that what we as a whole nation have gained and lost under the reign of our former president and after him, General Pervez Musharraf. The article lacks the usual literary style because the subject is not familiar with my practice. I must admit that this article inevitably supports Musharraf because first, personally, I do admire Musharraf profoundly and secondly that unlike others, he succeeded in achieving his targets and brought a new life to Pakistan. He is my ideal not only as an individual in personal capacity but far beyond as a faithful ruler also. I have hereunder given the testimony not much deeply detailed but I believe can’t be denied by any broad-sighted productive thinker. This is my faith... I see things in an overall scenario; development made by him or made under his rule is evident in black and white. The legacy of Musharraf's era is much remarkable that I would say it "the golden years of Pakistan". In my office, friends, relatives and every circle, I do converse this subject, share my faith and counter the arguments. This is the first-ever article I am going to post over the internet other than military, politics or historical subjects.
Let us begin from the start of the story... when the General came into 100% ruling power of Pakistan; what did he have to do. He was the “man” of the one-man-show; but of course a loyal soldier more than a successful statesman who he was not then. He began it very wisely; the country was such in a bad position that was more or less a default. Worse economic conditions with foreign reserves in negative and with no industrial output hence no exports; Pakistan was drowning. A poor, third-world, Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) listed state with no credibility, Pakistan had been in international bad-books with heartless terms even with friends. Domestic scene was even worse just like as the country had been hijacked by outlaws; corrupt bureaucracy, poverty and above all defaulting economy with no foreign reserves and no industrial motion. He began with searching loyal, volunteering experts of every field who were supposed to assist him in bringing into motion and to accelerate Pakistan on the path of success; gathered them on a stage and formed a tremendous cabinet which comprised of trouble-shooting experts and was to make history in the days to come. Keeping in mind that he was not an expert in economics, external affairs or whatsoever but a loyal statesman, he appointed such experts and gave them 100% uninterrupted but accountable autonomy in assessing the affairs and running the offices to accomplish the common mission for all, “overall revival of Pakistan”. These men included two internationally acclaimed award-winners in their respective fields, Shaukat Aziz as finance minister and Professor Ataur Rehman as minister for education and IT. Musharraf brought them both from abroad to volunteer and appointed them. May I add this here to “autonomy” thing which is how much vital that the reader of this article will understand:
All the serious military and political experts from around the globe have agreed this undisputed conclusion that Adolf Hitler could have defeated the whole world if he had given to his generals the freedom of conducting the battles, to the best of their strategic or tactical brilliance in commanding either defensive or offensive operations. These men are even regarded as “Hitler’s God-gifted Generals” by Allies specially the Britain.
The economic revival of Pakistan was the priority and Musharraf himself states as his greatest achievement. “What good could we do without a strong economy?” as he said in an interview; so the economy became the focus; and figures taken from that period afterwards are groundbreaking. Drowning Pakistan made rapid progress, rose to a complete revival and further development onwards. Many thanks to WIKIPEDIA.COM which state the facts & figures as following,
Economy
In 1999, under Nawaz Sharif, Revenue generation of around Rs.308 billion could not meet the growing expenditure requirements; with only an average of Rs.80 billion being spent on Public sector development programs (PSDP) annually, and no visible project to boast about. From this Rs.308 billion around 65% was being utilized for debt servicing. In 1988 Pakistan’s foreign debt was $18 billion, but at the end of 1999 it had accumulated to become $38 billion. A 100% increased burden on the already crippled economy. Public and external debt exceeded 300% of Foreign exchange earnings.
Musharraf then appointed Shaukat Aziz, a former Citibank executive, as finance minister.
Pakistan's Economic Comparison 1999 to 2007
- Pakistan’s economy grew by 100% — to become $ 160 billion
- Revenue grew by 100% — to become $ 11.4 billion
- Per Capita income grew by 100% — to become $ 925
- Foreign Reserves grew by 500% — to become $ 17 billion
- Exports grew by 100% — to become $ 18.5 billion
- Textile exports grew by 100% — to become $ 11.2 billion
- Karachi Stock Exchange grew by 500% — to become $ 75 billion
- Foreign Direct Investment grew by 500% — to become $ 8.4 billion
- Annual Debt servicing decreased by 35% — to become 26%
- Poverty decreased by 10% — to become 24%
- Literacy ratio grew by 10% — to become 54%
- Public development Funds grew by 100% — to become Rs. 520 billion
The vision and policies helped Pakistan come out of the list of Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) while setting it on path of prosperity, growth and economic reforms. The world financial institutions like the World Bank and IMF and ADB have been praising Pakistan for its reforms, fiscal policies and macro-economic achievements.
Poverty alleviation
Pakistan show tremendous reduction in poverty during the period 2000 - 2007. According official figures, the poverty level dropped from 34% to 24% and the overall living standard improves dramatically.
Reference: www.wikipedia.com
Today we can only recall those days as the vanished “economic boom” because now again we are enjoying the same old pathetic environment with a drowning economy, banks near to default, down-sizing and staff-firing in all institutions, day by day increasing debts and decreasing foreign reserves, industrial sector with less or no outputs; wheat crisis, sugar crisis, gas and petroleum price hiking and US Dollar per price more than 85 Rupees plus limitless power shut downs. So we have put Pakistan into the reverse gear… totally the opposite; and all of this suffering because the country is deprived of the required leadership, all gone. Lets look deep, the way I saw and I believe every educated or sensible Pakistani must have seen. The economic boom which made Pakistan a modern, civilized state and changed our overall living standard dramatically, such observations are following,
Society / Living Standard
Today’s Pakistan is not like the once vintage country; to a great extent it has become a country not only for educated or rich but also for an illiterate or a middle-class person; unfortunately the poor remains as poor. Overall we are in a healthy environment where everybody if not having but does know his rights. Now I do tell you that how I saw the overall living standard of an ordinary Pakistani changed. Almost everything has now gone public or in an ordinary man’s reach. This revolution brought many things available publicly alike hundreds of consumer products ranging from branded pasteurized milk packs to compatible cell phones and modern automobiles. Markets are full of multiple brands of hundreds of consumer products. Elegant shopping centers, fine restaurants, retail chains, fashion boutiques, local/international food brands though they are more likely to be dating points than their real purpose. There was no media in Pakistan except pathetic PTV but now there are more than 50 private TV stations working round the clock sniffing through every part of the country to spot every event and to be the first to report. This is not like old days’ story that during 1992-1996 Karachi ethnic/political insurgency and subsequent operations by the military to crush it, thousands of people were killed extra-judicially or were just disappeared with their fate still unknown; now the wheel has turned, this is the day of awareness. You can’t hide because from somewhere an eye is watching over you, if not from a SONY HANDYCAM then from a NOKIA N95 or a Spy Pen. Whatever happens good or bad every minute; there is a news slide and live broadcasts on all media within a minute. FM Radio stations are even competent to update us upon Karachi’s traffic situation live. You can’t run or hide because you are now registered with NADRA, and your 13-digit CNIC number spots you everywhere you go. You are synchronized with NIC, passport, credit card or ATM card, mobile number, your car or bike number, bank account number and your residence address and you are socially denied without a CNIC.
Information Technology / Communications
There was a revolution in computers and IT too, and a really big one. With IT industry given exemption of import duties and no restrictions from the government, computers went public and in every house, office or shop we find computers everywhere and with internet connectivity. Nearly half a dozen brands of mobile phone service providers offer internet on their connections. Either an executive in Karachi or a peasant in a remote village in Punjab, there is a cell phone in everybody’s pocket. Pakistan acquired the SEA-ME-WE 3 International Submarine Cable later with SEA-ME-WE 4 for telecommunication and internet connectivity with the rest of the world and broadband connections became common fashion.
Urban Re-Infrastructuring / Karachi
I am a Karachiite by birth and have only seen Quetta in 1997 so can bring only Karachi into count. Since long, Islamabad had been openly accused of doing “cheating” with Karachi, for not granting the funds or share in urban development quota as per the share in population and revenue generation of Pakistan; Musharraf’s era was totally opposite with long underpasses, wide roads, bridges, monumentary roundabouts and heart-taking beautiful parks; some of these parks are ranked as greatest in the continent. All of these built with dazzling lighting to make Karachi truly the “City of Lights”. My friend Zeeshan’s father, an always serious and quiet person and a well-travelled former P.B.S. /B.P. executive, came back from UAE after some 5 years and was surprised to see the distance between Jinnah Terminal and National Stadium covered in just 5-7 minute drive, the entire vision had been changed and looked exactly the opposite, wide smooth roads with pleasant green-belts and dazzling lights…. he was so impressed that could not remain from praising remarks. Quaid’s mausoleum refurnishing and expansion was a tribute to founder of the nation; elegant gardens with fine mosaic artworks are really heart-touching; this renovation was heaviest budgeted in history. Once Mr. Musharraf went somewhere abroad; the reception committee took him to a beach for sightseeing, there he saw a huge fountain pumping the sea water meters high vertically in the air; this was a beautiful scene; then the President thought we too should have something like this and the 620 feet (190 m) high KPT fountain was built with a cost of Rs.320 million that he himself inaugurated saying it was a gift to Karachiites on evening of 15th January 2006. The International Karachi EXPO Center is another milestone intended to let the world see how Pakistan makes progress. Almost every week or fortnightly there is an exhibition of different subjects like fashion & textile, food, lifestyles and consumer products, health & medicine, automobiles, education and books, industrial machinery and other equipment, computers and IT, media and television, arms & arsenal and many others show that how brilliantly Pakistan is developed in every field. Under Syed Mustafa Kamal, Karachi has changed entirely and is ranked as a Beta World City (a city deemed to be an important node point in the global economic system), as of 2008 and became one of the fastest growing cities in world. Such rapid development persuaded The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) Geneva to grant ISO certification 9001 to City Government Karachi for providing best services to its citizens. Mustafa Kamal was praised by the Supreme Court of Pakistan for his efforts to make Karachi a mega city and to carry out relief operations. The award winning American Magazine “Foreign Policy” has featured Nazim Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal as the mayor of the moment in its global cities index for 2008. The magazine in its article highlighted the innovative things done by three of the world’s mayors against enormous odds. The other two mayors are Klaus Wowereit and Wang Hongju of Berlin and Chongqing respectively. Karachi and Houston (USA) are declared as sister cities as of last year.
The Engines Hit Gas (CNG) / Automobiles
CNG was introduced in Pakistan publicly for fuelling purposes… hundreds of thousands of CNG powered cars were produced by the local industry offering in cheaper rates… automobile sector was tremendously promoted in this period and the result is as many as cars produced or imported that crossed the available traffic flow space in Karachi and other populated cities. All commercial banks were given licenses to deal in automobile-leasing and there was a huge response from the public. As a result now we can see our roads with excess traffic load and huge traffic jams have become a daily routine. At least 3 of every 5 cars are of newer models of last 4-8 years and CNG powered. Hundreds of automobile brands either local or imported, new or reconditioned, automatic or manual, fully-loaded modern age cars are now in common fashion.
Commerce / Trade / Banking / Reorganization of Government Units / Stock Market
Banks go public… in every locality, market or town, there is a “Bankon Ka Jumma Bazaar” established with more than 2 dozen different banks offering extensive services 24 hours a day. Economic boom in Pakistan persuaded the government to grant more and more banking licenses and to promote conventional and unconventional banking facilities. Banks, their purpose and operations grew rapidly… to facilitate growing local markets and vast foreign investments in corporate sector banks were given more and more permits to offer trade and credit services to industries and corporate sector plus house financing, car financing, personal or small loans, credit cards and other consumer products to individuals.
Islamic banking pioneered, though much argued by commercial bankers; government did a lot to promote Islamic banking to nearly half a dozen organizations in the sector. I recall the days when I was serving in the dispatch of my office back in 2002-2004; we used to receive bulks of credit applications in imports/exports sent by branches for approval and to send back approvals against those proposals daily. The period mentioned was the period of the industrial reorganization of Pakistan and the wheel of industry was in full pace after such efforts. It is quite appreciable that in Pakistan more or less all sick industrial units were brought to new life and were revived to full operation. All governmental corporations were reorganized, made corruption free, and with strict accountability so many produced impressive results with astonishing profits. Most of the corporations were privatized to minimize the burden on federal budget and losses. Privatization helped to clean all the filth like corruption and malfunction from institutions and to become effective and profiting. Such progress on the national level saw the Karachi Stock Exchange becoming one of the elite exchanges in the entire world and ranked in top 10 in Asia including Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Tokyo and others. Also KSE was declared the “Best Performing Stock Market of the World for the year 2002”. KSE broke its own records of highest rise in the period of about 2 years several times. Our finance minister Shaukat Aziz was praised by international community.
Wikipedia Says: “By October 2007, at the end of Shaukat Aziz’s tenure, Pakistan raised back its Foreign Reserves to $16.4 billion. Pakistan's trade deficit was at $13 billion, exports were $18 billion, revenue generation was $13 billion and attracted foreign investment was $8.4 billion. Pakistan's fiscal performance was praised by IMF and World Bank. The World Bank further reiterated that Pakistan's Economic growth bolstered International confidence. IMF Praises: IMF's new Middle East director Mr. George Abed, said he was "very pleased with the record of Pakistan in the past three years of continued macroeconomic and financial stabilization and we have begun to think of Pakistan as a country of promise and a country of potentially high rate of growth." Asian Development Bank also praised Pakistan's Micro-Finance. Media Recognition: In 2001, Mr. Aziz was also named "Finance Minister of the Year" by the prestigious Euromoney and Bankers Magazines.” Courtesy of “Wikipedia”
Overall… today’s Pakistan is a different Pakistan… a better Pakistan. I think every educated, sensible person understands the change brought by the revolution in Musharraf’s era in past recent years. People have changed, a Pakistani’s mind and thinking has changed, and entire vision has changed. For ever, somewhere, there will always be a spark; at least people have learnt that what are their rights and they can discriminate in between good or bad. So I think this is Pakistan where you can be immediately or later accountable for anything you do wrong. The Pakistanis can’t be cheated anymore. No government, authority or individual can put cover over its cheating or corruption. A positive trend of daily table talks and debates on all of our TV channels is the best way to examine the facts. Now it is same like in the developed countries that when the people of Pakistan pay taxes and appoint their government… they can surely maintain accountability and put under trial the thieves of their money.
Development and reorganization of the armed forces:
Pakistan Army
One of the most important accomplishments of Musharraf; Pakistan’s army was very rapidly upgraded. We can surely assess that today’s Pakistani army is in its best conditions. Musharraf aggressively developed Pakistan army with induction of modern weapon systems and advance training in war strategies and battle tactics. Since Musharraf’s time, Pakistan army has synchronized itself with those of international countries, mostly with US and NATO in terms of aviation, air-defense, armour, artillery, engineering, amphibious operations, infantry-equipment and logistics. I don’t know of infrastructure details of Pakistani army’s past but it is evident from it’s today’s exposure in war against terrorism that it has truly exemplified as a reliable arm. In terms of conventional warfare it is undoubtedly not the best but one of the best armies in the world today. Pakistan’s army is now upgraded with capability of conducting the combined-arms-strategy in its operations. Ranked 7th largest standing arm in the world and for the first time with independent mechanized divisions deployed, the today’s Pakistani army is a multirole force now well-equipped and trained for counter-insurgency operations for the first time in its history. Although the Pakistani soldiers are not regarded as “knights in the shining armour” like those of the Waffen SS but after their tremendous success in “the most dangerous region in the world” now these camouflage-geared men symbolize a formidable force.
Pakistan Air Force
Parallel with the army, Pakistan air force too was brilliantly reinforced in Musharraf time. Wikipedia says,
“In light of Pakistan's significant contribution to the War on Terror the United States and Western European countries, namely Germany and France, lifted their defense related sanctions on Pakistan; enabling the country to once again seek advanced Western military hardware. Since the lifting of sanctions, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) became heavily active in evaluating potential military hardware; such as new fighter planes, radars, land based air-defense systems, etc. The key factor had been the lifting of American sanctions on Pakistan; including restrictions on military combat aircraft - namely the Lockheed Martin F-16”. Thanks to Wikipedia.
Most astonishing was the JF-17 Russian/Chinese jet fighter induction in PAF. Despite rigid Indian diplomatic pressure and protests in against, special modifications made for Pakistani requirements in this fighter make it the one of the reliably best in the world. This is planned to be the main frontline of PAF’s future.
And above all achievements comes the Saab 2000 – fitted with Erieye AEW&C Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft bought from Sweden. Very few countries in world have such equipment. Pakistani airmen are proud of this great achievement made and firstly F-16s are under process of synchronization with this system while Pakistan army has already done with its surface-to-air defense systems. Also following the deals made with US government, eighteen upgraded F-16 “Block 52” aircraft are recently delivered to Pakistan air force.
Education & Literacy
There have been many accomplishments in the education sector. Pakistan had 31 public universities in 1999-2000 and then 50 in 2005-2006. National Education Census (NEC-2005) reveals that the number of private-sector institutions was increased from 36,096 in 1999-2000 to 81,103 in 2005, i.e. by more than 100 per cent.
The fall of the "Dictatorship"
Now let us turn our attention to our dark side… the retreat after the victory. What happened to us when we were moving forward so fast and made us revert from our forward stand? This is the testimony I do believe reader of this article agrees.
President Musharraf’s departure is followed by Pakistan’s decline from her glory. This decline is more significant than the success because this decline has damaged Pakistan more rapidly than the progress built her. What are the causes of the decline?... What are the reasons that forced Musharraf, a four-star general and a brilliant statesman to leave when he had become an icon? Let us look deeper.
Western Elements in Pakistan / American Activities in Pakistan
I personally believe that the real reasons behind his end are international rather than domestic. Musharraf had successfully portrayed himself as an international figure. Pakistan’s rise was parallel with her strong international relationships. As well as he took measures on domestic affairs more he was active in dealing in international affairs. His vision was not limited to the national level but it was his urge to raise Pakistan to a distinctive international rank; and he carried out his job brilliantly. Pakistan secured her position as a key UNO/USA/EU/WB/IMF/NATO/SAARC/OIC/ISAF ally that sometimes our arch-rival and an old aggressor, India often had to keep a very reserve and cautious attitude towards Pakistan. After 9/11, Pakistan came to extreme strategic prominence, USA and Allies focused their war against terrorism first in Afghanistan. They wanted neighboring Pakistan as a supporting hub of their military operations and demanded Musharraf to join the US/NATO alliance against terrorism. Strategy devised was so comprehensive and inflexible that Pakistan was given clear advice to join the war by providing all facilities demanded, otherwise Pakistan was supposed to be an unfriendly or opposing country and could be punished by imposing international, economical and military sanctions even US military intervention. What good could the General do at this crucial moment? There were direct threats of an Allied invasion on Pakistan… India was also ready to equal her counts with Pakistan. Musharraf did it all the right way because he was not to see Pakistan going kneel. Allies warned that by not joining the war Pakistan could lead herself to an all alone situation and India would be offered to join the war. Since her birth Pakistan has been a key US ally… I remember the world famous case of a U-2 American CIA pilot named Gary Powers who was shot down while flying a reconnaissance mission over Soviet Union; tried in Moscow he confessed that he flew his aircraft from a military air base in Peshawar, Pakistan. The time of this case was 1960s, the peak of the cold war. Quite notable that since 1955 the USAF had also established an air station and its 6937th Communications Group of radio operators was deployed in this station. The purpose of this US military base in Pakistan was the radio interception and aerial reconnaissance over Soviet Union. Additionally, the US spy planes were settled in Peshawar “Badaber” Airbase of the Pakistan air force. As a prominent South Asian ally of the Western Bloc, Pakistan has been providing strategic support to US interests in the region including Jacobabad, Peshawar and Shamsi (Baluchistan) airbases for American air operations. Military supplies for US/NATO/ISAF units in Afghanistan are transported to Karachi via sea and then it is carried by our logistics via road and rail to their depots in Peshawar and then to borders. “Blackwater”, an undercover American private firm specializes in aerial intelligence and UAV drone equipment is allegedly active in all Pakistan’s major cities providing CIA full support in war on terror. Such immense American activities are not new; Soviet-Afghan war was impossible to win without counting in Pakistani army and ISI. Against that support we had enjoyed a great deal of incentives in form of funds and weapons badly needed to counter those superior Russian-supplied of Indians.
What good “Mushi” could do then… a do or die ordeal given by Americans. He kept every aspect in sight, public and army hatred in Pakistan if he goes kneel to Allies and direct intervention and invasion warnings if he takes stand in national sake.
Wikipedia says: Richard Armitage Comments
During a 24 September 2006 interview with Steve Kroft on 60 Minutes, Musharraf said that then-U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage had called Musharraf's intelligence director shortly following the 9/11 attacks and threatened military action if Pakistan did not support the U.S.-led "war on terror". According to Musharraf, Armitage warned: "Be prepared to be bombed. Be prepared to go back to the Stone Age." Furthermore, during an interview with Jon Stewart of The Daily Show on 26 September 2006, Musharraf stated that then-Secretary of State Colin Powell also contacted him with a similar message: "You are with us or against us." Musharraf refused to elaborate further, citing the then-upcoming release of his book, In the Line of Fire: A Memoir (ISBN 0-7432-8344-9). Armitage has, however, categorically denied that he had used such harsh words to threaten Pakistan, saying instead that on 12 September 2001 he had told Pakistan's top intelligence official that Pakistan would have to decide whether it was with or against the U.S. in its efforts against al-Qaida and the Taliban. In Armitage's words, "It would be completely out of character for me to threaten the use of military force when I was not authorized to do so. I don't command aircraft and could not make good on such a threat." In a 22 September 2006 joint news conference with Musharraf, U.S. President George W. Bush said, "I don't know of any conversation that was reported in the newspaper like that." thanks to Wikipedia.
Musharraf was to make a hard decision… a bitter pill was to be swallowed inevitably because he had just taken over the government, this time was the early days of his era, Pakistan’s revival mission had just began… and there was no hope of military or moral aid from international community if Pakistan defies the Allies. So he halfheartedly shook hands with Americans, just to save the future of the state. This was how Musharraf dealt with the then situation. I personally believe he did it the right way and I have reasons to favor him for joining the war. Let us look deeper to review the background of the war on terror in Pakistan.
Background of War against Terror in Pakistan / Origins of Islamic Militancy in Pakistan
Since Pakistan’s birth, the NWFP tribal belt had been nonsensely overlooked intentionally. This was the fault; an area included in Pakistan’s map was never taken under Pakistan’s government control. Police was never established there, army was never sent there hence it turned out to be a lawless region of Pakistan with open borders of hundreds of kilometers with savage Afghanistan. However tribal Pashtuns of Pakistan are much civilized than Afghans in terms of social values and culture. They had signed an agreement first with the Britons in Colonial Era and then to Pakistan’s first Governor General Muhammad Ali Jinnah after independence that the authorities would let them live in their own tribal system with no mixing with the rest of Pakistan. They don’t like interference in their tribal values and lifestyle neither they want to bring change or modernize their society with the outer world. Both agreements included the care of open borders with Afghanistan which these Pashtuns took for a long time.
Since the time of Soviet invasion in Afghanistan, all past Pakistani governments did nothing to seal the border even after the war and in the time of Taliban rule in Kabul. General Zia was very active in providing strategic support to USA against the Soviets and international borders in the NWFP area were open for millions of oine and Kalashnikov to Pakistan as a “gift from Afghanistan”. These gifts destroyed Pakistan’s generations; we are well aware that how. Their arrival in Pakistan caused local Pashtuns to go corrupt… these Pashtuns were loyal to Pakistan, and wwar-battered Afghan refugees. Pakistan enjoyed fantastic rewards at that time too… in form of Dollars and military equipment. Otherwise Pakistan would have never been given the pride of its air force the “F-16 Fighting Falcon” so allying Pakistan gave full support to USA by accepting millions of refugees and training the Mujahideens to fight Soviets.
Let us look what we did wrong then. Unlike Iran which kept total check and balance of the Afghan refugees, denying them to entering cities and spread all over Iran but held them in refugee camps near borders and under army control; Pakistan did exactly the opposite. Today from Karachi to Khyber there are millions of Afghans living as Pakistani nationals as they have identity cards, established businesses and have legal properties. I do estimate that now this is the third generation of Afghans who came to Pakistan in 1979-1988 never to return and to become legal Pakistanis forever. This is what we did fatal error…. because these corrupt and illiterate filthy bastards brought nothing except Heroine and Kalashnikov to Pakistan as a “gift from Afghanistan”. These gifts destroyed Pakistan’s generations; we are well aware that how. Their arrival in Pakistan caused local Pashtuns to go corrupt… these Pashtuns were loyal to Pakistan, and were not corrupt by any means. However Afghans polluted Pakistani tribal environment too. Except for the tribal region, Afghan refugees’ mixing with local Pashtuns more specifically in Quetta, Peshawar and other NWFP areas has made considerable impact and so many Pashtuns are involved in smuggling of goods, drugs and weapons and other illegal activities. Pakistani tribal Pashtuns are natives of the frontier region and considered as Indians because from centuries they are inhabitants of subcontinent and they kept their habitation limited within the Indian frontier region and they don’t like or welcome outsiders to join their society even from other tribes within the frontier region while Afghans are a different race themselves. Pashtuns are divided in tribes… they are civilized and have traditions, values and culture and family system different for each tribe while Afghans are uncivilized and have no such system. Hence one should discriminate Pathaans from Afghans.
Back to topic… Afghans polluted our society especially they made tribal Pashtuns corrupt. After the Russians Pakistani tribal environment too. Except for the tribal region, Afghan refugees’ mixing with local Pashtuns more specifically in Quetta, Peshawar and other NWFP cities has made considerable impact and so many Pashtuns are involved in smuggling of goods, drugs and weapons and other illegal activities. Pakistani tribal Pashtuns are natives of the frontier region and considered as Indians because from centuries they are inhabitants of subcontinent and they kept their habitation limited within the Indian frontier region and they don’t like or welcome outsiders to join their society even from other tribes within the frontier region while Afghans are a different race themselves. Pashtuns are divided in tribes… they are civilized and have traditions, values and culture and family system different for each tribe while Afghans are gone…. Afghanistan was a lawless country with no government control. Skirmishes erupted in between former Mujahedeen groups and several prominent leaders became warlords of their areas. Thousands of tons of weapons that the Soviets left behind and those supplied by USA and Pakistan were used for years in local battles in between these fighter groups in power-struggle and are still used against US/NATO today. What was the mistake?…. The international community especially UNO left this war-battered country with those bulks of arms in hands of these savage outlaws… at the time they had no money for living, no food to eat, but they had deadliest weapons of the world in heavy amount with training to operate them. Result was clear there was no peace in Afghanistan until Taliban came in power. Quite shocking that no further works to reorganize Afghanistan were never done such as establishment of a new government, disarming of militant groups, return of refugees from neighboring states and rehabilitation.
After when the Americans invaded Afghanistan; the Taliban were badly mauled so they fled more and more until when they found their safe-haven and a perfect hideout in Pakistan’s tribal region with plenty of food and a peaceful life and with no security system maintained by our sleeping government. This is how it began in Pakistan and brought the American war in our peaceful country. Thousands of Afghan fighters fled through our open borders and started living here. The significance of Pakistan as a perfect hideout gained popularity so soon that outlaws, gangsters, or so called Mujahideens from many more areas began to arrive in FATA to find sanctuary. So more and more foreign fighters (as we listen in news that 5 or ten foreign fighters are killed in army raid or drone attack) gathered inside our borders and systematically began to establish their empire in our free-region. Tajiks, Uzbeks, Chechens, Arabs, Afghans and from many other places these militants gathered and began their activities once they were settled in peace. Because FATA was not secured by the army nor given national judiciary because of Jirga system of the tribes these militants met with no resistance. These so called “Pakistani Taliban” came with modern arms and training of guerilla warfare. Destroyed whole tribal society by forcibly drawing Pashtuns in their side and enforced Islamic Shariya Law with brutal punishments if not followed to spread terror of their regime. This is how they established their empire within Pakistan. On the other hand…. Pakistani government slept and did nothing to stop it; our government’s negligence allowed these bandits full opportunity to implement their law and order within the border of an independent state. This was same like Afghanistan where militants had the same situation before American invasion and they were enforcing their Taliban Law in lawless Afghanistan. Things began to change in 2004-2005 when Pakistan’s Frontier Corps and Frontier Constabulary encountered these fighters for the first time and were straightforwardly outnumbered and outclassed by militants in numbers and their superior weaponry. This was the first shock… FATA’s local administration made arrangements to stop but till then the situation was out of hands and the Taliban had become unstoppable. Many clashes occurred and in almost all Taliban won. Then Taliban began targeting FC, ambushing convoys, overrunning check-posts. In a major midnight attack on Frontier Corps at Sararogha Fort alone, some 400 (some sources say 600-1000) Taliban captured the fort, executed dozens of FC men and hoisted their flag on the fort. They invited the media to show the captured FC men. The attack was very organized and militarily of a brigade level. The Taliban had established their empire very organized; they took every area by power, killed nearly 200 opponent tribal elders and Jirga members, wiped out FC from its posts, magnificently fortified their zones by minefields, dugged inter-connected kilometers-long tunnels underneath the land and caves, established ammunition depots and strongpoints at all strategic heights and roads to resist the FC. They had every light or heavy weapon except helicopters or aircraft. They had wireless communication systems including independent FM radio stations, medical supplies, enough food, enough funds either in Pakistan Rupees or US Dollars to buy fuel they used for transportation and to generate electricity if not available and they recruited local tribesmen and paid them. Isn’t it shocking???
When Pakistani government turned its attention… it was very late and situation was out of hands. Poorly equipped and same as British era’s Sandal and Qamiz-Shalwaar wearing FC could do no good to defeat these fighters superior in technology and tactics. However Taliban were not an army. When Pakistan’s regular army stepped in, it shocked even US/NATO/ISAF thinkers with astonishing success it gained.
Now return back to our topic…. Americans asked Musharraf to join them against terrorism and then to eliminate the Taliban inside Pakistan. Inevitably he went with them. I have given aforesaid testimony that how serious it was to crush Islamic extremism in Pakistan more than Afghanistan. Americans knew that Pakistan’s FATA is the only place where fleeing Al Qaeda or Taliban can have sanctuary, reorganize and can counter attack US forces across the border by using their hit-and-run tactics. In US view, Pakistan was to be Taliban’s base for their insurgency in Afghanistan; and same was the threat to Pakistan from the Allied forces… USA knew since the first day that the war in Afghanistan cannot be won without first winning it in Pakistan and they had to do it with or without Pakistani support. Strategic background to draw Pakistan in Alliance is given above clearly.
So I believe Mushi did his best and in the national interest. Look what Wikipedia says:
Wikipedia says, “Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Musharraf sided with the United States against the Taliban government in Afghanistan after an ultimatum by U.S. President George W. Bush. Musharraf agreed to give the United States the use of three airbases for Operation Enduring Freedom. United States Secretary of State Colin Powell and other administration officials met with Musharraf. On 19 September 2001, Musharraf addressed the people of Pakistan and stated that, while he opposed military tactics against the Taliban, Pakistan risked being endangered by an alliance of India and the U.S. if it did not cooperate. In 2006, Musharraf testified that this stance was pressured by threats from the U.S., and revealed in his memoirs that he had "war-gamed" the United States as an adversary and decided that it would end in a loss for Pakistan.
The leadership in Pakistan war-gamed the USA and NATO as an enemy and realized that it was worthless committing suicide over the obstinate Taliban. Pakistan’s stagnated economy had only slightly started recovering, after being tagged as one of the highest indebted countries. Galvanizing the whole nation into agreeing to fight the USA and NATO was another impossible task. Indian eagerness to join the War on Terror was an alarming condition that Pakistan could not have over-looked. Indian jets flying over Pakistan’s space, with the Strategic assets’ lying below were a suicidal recipe. An accidental Indian bomb dropped on the Kahuta plant would have created disaster.” Thanks to Wikipedia.
I don’t know if anybody understands that was there any alternative for Pakistan to excuse or refuse the demands of USA/NATO. First, politically and economically Pakistan was then listed with the Highly Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) with a defaulting economy, we were in the international bad books with no good relations even with long-term friendly states and secondly what good could we do militarily with making our stand against Western Allies? There were direct threats of an invasion if we were to deny US demands. It would have been straightforwardly suicidal for us if we had opposed the US demands. Think about when US and ISAF on our West, India in our East and a huge international naval fleet in the Arabian Sea in our South and Pakistan in the middle with bare hands and no country is willing to aid us morally and militarily. Even some time before, our current air chief (not a Musharraf govt. chief of staff) has excused when asked to do something to stop airspace violations and drone attacks saying “I cannot do any good with my tiny airforce, neither can I cover all our skies to prevent aircraft infiltration nor I can counter US/NATO overwhelming superiority”
May I remind the reader of this article that there were no airspace violations or strikes made by Allies when Musharraf was in uniform. And if there were any…. there were permissions for those and clear intimations given to our air force to withdraw from the zone and strikes were done secretly… and even when the news appeared on media later, there were immediate excuses or clarifications by the Allies. Even they often stated…. “The strike was done after the reports of the targets received from the Pakistani intelligence”. But since the day Mushi resigned…. American attitude changed immediately; bold and straight violations of our sovereignty were made in several US raids inside Pakistan. Today we are not allowed to even protest over killing of innocent people and direct violations of international laws …Americans state clearly we don’t feel it necessary to ask for permission of attacks on suspected targets inside Pakistan or to intimate Pakistani forces of any operation inside their territory. We have an agreement and understanding with the new government in Islamabad according to which we are not liable to ask prior permission or give an intimation of any strike either from the air or on the ground in any area all over Pakistan. Quite notable that after Mushi left army, US air strikes inside Pakistan began openly…and the day he left presidency, even ground attacks began with an incident in which heliborne US Marines backed by an additional US army AC-130 gunship, landed their helicopters on Pakistani soil in a remote village in South Waziristan on September 3rd 2008., jumped out, stepped foots on Pakistani soil, raided at least three houses and killed 20 “suspected Al-Qaeda fighters”.
The errors and drawbacks of Pervez Musharraf
Nobody is perfect in this world…neither in this world a man is everything himself; so was Mushi. Let us look deep what happened afterwards and how things began to turn against him.
International Scenario: American Distrust
In his famous book named “In the Line of fire: A Memoir” Musharraf says “I felt very frustrated by Armitage’s remarks. It goes against the grain of a soldier not to be able to tell anyone giving him an ultimatum to go forth and multiply, or words to that effect.”
What were the reasons of these distances and differences? US administration bullied Pakistan to join US efforts in war, and from the very first day they had been directly or indirectly expressing their suspicions over certain issues. A lightly taken war by Pakistan was the prime issue. The first disputes aroused when Musharraf administration denied any clearance of US military operations in our side of border. Musharraf’s motive was very clear… just to keep Pakistan’s sovereignty untouched; when we have joined the Allies in this war and have given our guarantee of full support then we are equal partners in the efforts; but we can’t compromise over the national ego and sovereignty as an independent state. Giving guaranteed support does not merely mean that we have conditionally or unconditionally given up our national status or committed our freedom. We are to support Allies, in terms of accomplishing the common mission of eliminating the terrorism on the both sides of the border with reciprocal liaison in intelligence and military operations carried out in both sides separately. We are not liable of internal activities of our friends in their side and we cannot permit any violation of our airspace or ground. We are able enough to crush the Taliban and Al-Qaeda in our sphere pretty well… so our American friends should not worry about anything lies on our part.
Musharraf’s stand was honourable; and was less aggressive than the other he took later after some American comments on the former one which was: “if any intrusion either from the air or in the ground from the other side of the borders is made inside our territory, then our forces are ready and will defend the national sovereignty to the utmost. According to international laws we shall consider any aerial or ground intrusion as “direct attack on our freedom and national sovereignty” and according to laws we as an independent nation are supposed to defend our country no matter whatever it takes.
This was how the things began to change; Mushi’s aggressive stance over the intrusion and then-anticipated drone attacks annoyed Americans. Though to a great extent their attitude towards Pakistan was very cautious; one can understand why? because Mushi was in uniform then. Richard Armitage denied the allegation of using harsh language, and US administration only gave hints over possible air strikes. However later, the Americans boldly claimed that Mushi was double-crossing them and he had been secretly supporting the Taliban and did not do enough to suppress the Al Qaeda elements in Pakistan. Minimal issues such as American anger over not doing enough for war efforts, replacement of sandal/shalwar-qameez-wearing paramilitary with the regular army, delayed deployment of army in troubled areas and denial of any Allied intrusion in internal affairs of Pakistan turned out to be a rivalry and they accused Mushi of double-crossing the Bush administration in Washington DC.
Now we look at a shocking report by the US intelligence saying they got a proof how Mushi was playing with them.
Pervez Musharraf was playing "double game" with the US
February 17, 2009
Washington sent Special Forces into Pakistan last summer after intercepting a call by the Pakistani army chief referring to a notorious Taliban leader as a “strategic asset,” a new book has claimed.
The intercept was ordered to confirm suspicions that the Pakistani military were still actively supporting the Taliban whilst taking millions of dollars in US military aid to fight them, according to the “The Inheritance,” by the New York Times correspondent David Sanger.
In a transcript passed to Mike McConnell, the Director of National Intelligence in May 2008, General Ashfaq Kayani, the military chief who replaced Pervez Musharraf, was overheard referring to Maulavi Jalaluddin Haqqani as “a strategic asset”. The remark was the first real evidence of the double game that Washington had long suspected President Musharraf was playing as he continued receiving US military aid while aiding the Taliban.
Mr. Haqqani, a veteran of the anti-Soviet mujahideen wars of the nineties, commands a hard-line Taliban group based in Waziristan and is credited with introducing suicide bombing into the militants’ arsenal.
Washington later intercepted calls from Pakistani military units to Mr. Haqqani, warning him of an impending military operation designed to prove to the US that Islamabad was tackling the militant threat.
“They must have dialled 1-800-HAQQANI” a source told Mr. Sanger. “It was something like, ‘Hey, we’re going to hit your place in a few days, so if anyone important is there, you might want to tell them to scram’.”
The intercept was the clue that led the CIA to uncover evidence of collusion between the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI) and Mr. Haqqani in a plot to carry out a spectacular bombing in Afghanistan. Two weeks later, India’s Embassy in Kabul was bombed, killing fifty-four people and prompting a CIA mission to Islamabad to challenge the government with their evidence.
The first cross-border strike took place in early September without Islamabad’s knowledge after Washington concluded that no one could be trusted with the information.
General Kayani, a former ISI chief, became army chief when Mr. Musharraf relinquished that post in 2007, a year before he was forced to quit as president. Worryingly for Washington, General Kayani remains Pakistan’s army chief.
Mr. Musharraf reacted angrily to the book’s allegations of double-dealing, which appeared in the Pakistani press for the first time yesterday. “Get your facts correct, I have never double-dealt,” Mr. Musharraf told Pakistani television stations.
“There is a big conspiracy being hatched against Pakistan, to weaken the Pakistan army and the ISI to weaken Pakistan.”
Mr. Sanger’s book, detailing the foreign policy challenges inherited by the Obama Administration, was published in the US last month. In it, US intelligence officials also speak of their fears that Islamist militants might launch a spectacular attack on Indian soil in the hope of ramping up tensions on the subcontinent, leading Pakistan to deploy its nuclear weapons.
Thanks to Daily Times Online International Limited, London
Concerns over the funding of hundreds of millions of Dollars to Pakistani ISI by the CIA were addressed clearly. An accusation said that Musharraf’s government had been using the given money by the US for aiding the Pakistani efforts to eliminate militants in build up of army in preparation against India in the East. Afterwards, US pressure grew over Musharraf to leave office and duly hand over the authority to a new elected administration as he himself had promised to the nation and elections were due in early 2008. Luckily Mushi had some time and after resigning from the army and he held the presidency of the country even for a short period after the elections. Domestic pressure and conspiracies to fail him by the lobbying politicians and betrayal by his former allies since 2002 together with tremendous US anger forced the General to look for an honourable exit.
National Scenario: Society / Feudal System / Politics
Mushi’s international alliance in the war against terror and actions taken in Pakistan against suspected Al-Qaeda interests caused a rigid hatred and opposition among masses against him.
Pakistan is an underdeveloped country; more or less 75% of the population is rural and illiterate. Hence Pakistan is a perfect place for typical extremist Islamic elements to hold ground by manipulating the people’s mentality. Mullahs and Mullahism is much popular in Pakistan and has more than 80% public favour. So Mushi and his vision of a moderate Pakistan had been irritating a larger number of ordinary Pakistanis. Country’s social system since her birth is under feudal lords, “Jagirdars” and “Waderas”… who never wanted country’s social environment changed making sure that most of the country’s population remains under their influence and power. These lords are a kind of mafia and most of them are involved in Pakistani politics and they control the illiterate and poverty-stricken innocent people. The rapid progress made in the country alarmed such feudal lords because of two reasons. First development and growing public awareness meant that their power and influence comes into danger of a social revolution and second that local long-held people gets access to the education facilities. Education could lead the poor people to rebel against the feudal system and their centuries-built feudal empire to collapse. This feudal system in Pakistan has a long history, since colonial era when the English won their support and gave these lords huge privileges in form of vast lands and political power. When Pakistan came into being, these Lords and Jagirdars continued with the same system; they had established strong grip over people and rural habitat. Pakistan since her birth is an agricultural state; since Raj era, almost all the industrialization in India was made in the places which fell into Indian sphere during partition of the subcontinent; so Pakistan since her birth depends upon cultivation and is a major agriculture state in the region. The Jagirdars and Waderas control 70% of the population and maximum area of land either agricultural or non-agricultural while poor farmers are robbed or cheated systematically; they have no money, education or power so these farmers are kept oppressed by their lords who have money, land, power and keep the 70% manpower of the country under command. Major drawback is that there is no large industry except agriculture; most population is rural plus poverty and illiteracy so rural population doesn’t even have a sense or urge to have better lifestyle and from generations back they quietly lived under and served their lords. Pakistan’s corrupt bureaucracy backs the feudal system, because the governments are too based on feudal system. Country’s two largest political parties’ leadership has same family-dominance system and these parties have played their politics in connection with illiterate rural society and feudal lords. Both politicians and Waderas have greatly bound ties and they support each other to survive.
Readers can now understand that how Pakistan is gripped by such negative elements. Politicians provide privileges and cover to lords in exchange of votes and the support in the election campaigns to side more and more people in their favour. The both sides are bound to help each other because this is the way of the survival of the both; if either of the groups fails; this is a total failure of both. Civil bureaucracy in the government has similar connections, and this is also a kind of mafia. They lead or assist the politicians in making the frauds and to cheat Pakistan’s national treasury in exchange of share in the money, official privileges and promotions.
Religious Tendency / Mullahism / Islamic Extremism
Mullahism is very much popular in Pakistan; hence Islamist elements have deep roots in local society. Most of these elements work through religious schools (Madressahs) and other mosques facilitating the Quranic and Shariya education in the country. Numbered in thousands and spreading all over the country these madressahs and other establishments played the leading role in Islamic extremism and afterwards, militancy. The history of this Mullahism in Pakistan has traces back from Colonial India but this came into fashion and gained much public praise during and after Afghan-Soviet war when Pakistan was under military dictatorship of General Muhammad Zia Ulhaq who as a key ally in Jihad against USSR and in US support aggressively promoted these Islamic elements and Mujahideens on the official or national level so the madressahs come into prominence. Most of the population in the country is illiterate and here the Mullahism begins its role. Illiterate and poor, children or young or adults join these madressahs because of two reasons. (1)Most of the population is rural, poor and illiterate; hence most of the Mullahs are from rural areas. (2)While there is no urban facilities like education or work for these villagers so they straightforwardly send their children to madressahs where they can have shelter, accommodation, food and clothing. Madressahs and other Islamic establishments in Pakistan are also a very strong mafia, running under control of many different Islamic groups and movements. Many of these are with political prospects and many had the links upto different Islamic Mujahedeen groups. Also many of these establishments are even in urban areas with huge organization and budgets accommodating thousands of students from both rural and urban areas. There are countless proofs for how young boys admitted in Madressahs are intoxicated and bribed by feeding with inhumane propaganda of religious and factional hatred (other than intended religious education). These young men are trained for guerilla warfare. In the line there are different Madressahs and Mosques (under different controls) found involved in such activities; some of them directly for Jihadi purposes against Westerners and many of them are under typical Islamic groups from both Sunni and Shiite factions within Pakistan plotting against each other. Pakistan’s army, intelligence agencies and police all of them have uncovered so many of such elements on many occasions. This is how these madressahs have been an effective tool of injecting Islamic extremism in the local society specifically youngsters.
In the early phases, Musharraf was very certain about seriously growing Islamic militancy in the country. Strong action was taken against such elements spreading Jihad, militancy, terror or anti-state or anti-West sentiments and enlisting and training the local youth for fighting. A major crack-down followed and the government took all madressahs under control. Registration of all madressahs was carried out and was made compulsory and those found or suspected in Jihad business were eliminated.
This major crackdown against Mullahism bolstered a strong feeling of public hatred for Pervez Musharraf. He himself and his vision of an enlightened and modern Pakistan became an itch in the eye of a typical Pakistani believing that Musharraf is an agent of the West and is crushing all Islamic activities against America or Israel and he is going to present “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” to Jews in Washington. What else but most of the immense and still strongly debated issue is so-called “Laal Masjid Massacre” took place in the heart of the Pakistani capital. Musharraf was labeled as “a murderer, an evil, and an enemy of Islam and Pakistan”. It is true that what happened at all… did shake Musharraf and his prestige. Now we do look deeper to investigate what really happened within those dreadful walls of Laal Masjid in Islamabad.
Islamabad’s Red Mosque Garrison
Which religion, culture or society can allow Barbarism in practical terms? Rageh Omaar of Al-Jazeerah English has covered full story of Islamic militancy in Pakistan under title "Pakistan's War: The Battle Within"... of course he went to LAAL MASJID before the battle took place and met the culprits in person. Some shocking facts from MASJID are: In the last days, the MASJID had become some kind of a fortress, an inter-state. I would say a "Garrison" with a huge arsenal. Their heads refused to accept government's offer to surrender and then warnings of severe punishment. They even gave direct threats through Rageh that if authorities take any action there will be a wave of suicide attacks everywhere and will done by their own youth. They had challenged the writ of state, lashed the street-goers in the locality, banned women without BURQA and handcuffs, banned women car driving, a lot of violence, torture, burning, and riots including killing through straight fire by assault rifles, exposed aggression and terror by displaying naked swords, daggers and all sorts of portable firearms in demos, holding women, children as hostages including foreigners and threats of their execution, chanting anti-state and anti-army slogans during demos. Aziz's survivor widow Umme Hassaan says to Rageh "we had nothing to fight except 14 Kalashnikovs"... according to her statement that her husband ordered her to leave the MASJID before army takes action she quotes her husband "I am your Amir and Commander and I command you to leave".
The pillboxes built at every corner of the rooftops of MASJID with waving flags of crossed swords' insignia of Aziz's militia manned by muffled-faced armed warriors show that the MASJID was turned into a fortress of this private army of Aziz who considered himself and indeed acted as the commander.
However, a four-star general in uniform and a genuine commander of a modern organized army ranked 7th largest in the world with 1,400,000 undeclared personnel is not likely to allow such inhumane brutality.
So my friends, looting, lashing, execution by shooting or beheading then filming it on tape and spreading terror by distributing its copies is not Islam.
Suspension and reinstatement of the Chief Justice
The most influential of all matters was Musharraf's clash with country's Judiciary; Wikipedia Says
“On 9 March 2007, Musharraf suspended the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, pressing corruption charges against him and filed a reference against the Chief Justice, in the Supreme Judicial Council according to Article 209(2) and Article 209(5) (b) of the Constitution of Pakistan. Thus on 13 March 2007, when the Supreme Judicial Council met, it was headed by Acting Chief Justice Javed Iqbal.
Musharraf's moves sparked protests among Pakistani lawyers. On 12 March 2007, lawyers started Judicial Activism across Pakistan and began boycotting all court procedures in protest against the suspension. In Islamabad, as well as other cities such as Lahore, Karachi and Quetta, hundreds of lawyers dressed in black suits attended rallies, condemning the suspension as unconstitutional. Slowly the expressions of support for the ousted Chief Justice gathered momentum and by May, protesters and opposition parties took out huge rallies against Musharraf and his tenure as army chief was also challenged in the courts.
On 20 July, the Supreme Court reinstated Chaudhry. Delivering the court's verdict, presiding Judge Khalil-ur-Rehman Ramday said: "The reference (against Mr Chaudhry) has been set aside and the chief justice has been reinstated."
Indeed on the national political scenario, this was the very powerful blow to General Musharraf, answering a question during Q & A sessions following his speeches in one of the US universities; he himself admitted this matter as one great error he committed.
Assassination of Benazir Bhutto: The End of an Era
I do personally believe that Benazir’s sudden and tragic death was the greatest blow to Pervez Musharraf. All his planning, efforts and desires blown in just a second the sad news arrived. The last and greatest setback that marked the end of the General’s long string of remarkable successes. I believe that it broke Musharraf down and he lost his heart and energy. Once a very formidable man with strongest will was left with nothing because all he had anticipated and prepared for was just lost.
Many Pakistanis believe as I do that if Benazir was alive today… the entire scene would have been totally the opposite; surely much better than the current situation of the country and she must have been the next Pakistani premier under Musharraf as president. But as the destiny would have it… all the Musharraf’s smartly played out plot was shattered. In this plot and possible subsequent environment thereafter, there was no room for those who are greatly benefitted from this great disaster and got their chances in Pakistan’s politics and government afterwards.
I do believe that there must have been an understanding between the both over many things. Like internal issues of politics and growing uncertainty and international matters such as War against Terror and tackling with both the Americans and Indians. I understand that Musharraf was more likely to trust on her more than any other public or political figure in Pakistan. She was charismatic, very much educated, broadminded, social and with an understating behavior. Nobody in Pakistan could even remotely match her credentials as an ideal leader and Mushi knew it. Her book “Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West” (published after her demise) clearly tells us that how she had reassessed herself with recent globalization problems and situation inside Pakistan specially the growing terrible Islamic extremism in the country. These observations from the book and several of her personal statements are evident enough for one to believe that somehow it would have been a magnificent association between Musharraf and Benazir to lead Pakistan. After her return to Pakistan, I personally did observe a lot of change in Benazir’s personality. During her very few public appearances and those over the television, her accent, body language, and posture looked completely different from past (might have been age-factor). Not surprisingly she was very energetic and willing to go on with her new responsibilities as premier. She did proclaim that democracy would be back for a better Pakistan and everything would be just fine, and surprisingly she was never to repeat her past mistakes and even her daring statements said that after forming the government she was to do her utmost to crush Islamic militancy in the country and was even to allow the Americans to operate freely inside Pakistani territory against Al Qaeda. It is hard to say that whether Musharraf had been kind enough to her, and whether both had an understanding with same issue too during their “secret meeting” in Dubai she later revealed on a Canadian TV. The day she was killed, agony in Pakistan was violent, fiercest in history. Musharraf promptly declared 3-day national mourning. Riots inflicted billions of rupees valuing public and state property destroyed. Within 48 hours entire state infrastructure was mauled beyond repair and to date remains unfixed. A sudden shock slammed country’s economy and stock markets crashed right away. The losses were tremendous and above all irrevocable hence overall economy and infrastructure is not yet stabilized so far. Graph of the economy has never been raised to higher or equal than then marks.
Apart from her strongly criticized past career in Pakistani politics I do see this story slightly differently. I believe that Benazir took with herself everything. Besides the havoc which happened in Pakistan and billions of rupees damages… why don’t we just grasp that we just lost Benazir? Well think for a moment what she was… an excellent star. The glow, charisma, attire, education, passion, and her lifelong trail of ups and downs… a lady with a fighter heart… she is one of the very few strongly influential women in history I have been following in my study since long. Such tragic death at such a time when every eye was focused upon her; almost a decade after she returned to the country with a totally opposite appearance, she boldly expressed her views and estimates from her past experiences; everything looked very promising then… and everything looked lost after her. Well I do admit that following almost week-long heart-touching eulogy and grief over the media was enough to make me to shed tears… and I often chuckled “am I in love with her?”
Aftermath:
Today’s national infrastructure reminds us of the days when today’s everything existing was built. There is hardly anything of post-Musharraf era or anything which by any means has some connection other than the “last dictatorship” because nothing is built since then in Pakistan. There are five more days to mark the end of the year 2010 and the so-called democracy is going to complete its third year since when it was restored in February 2008. Pakistan is suffering the worst than ever; ludicrous politicians and their corrupt government have made Pakistan a humorous example of stupidity in every domestic or international forum. Also Mother Nature by using her violent might has made the country a terrible example of death and destruction due to landslides and flood. The democratic government or the opposition has nothing to do other than promoting their politics and securing their positions knowing that this is their last chance of ruling and cheating the miserable Pakistanis and they do care to use every moment of their last chance of robbing the national treasury. Also on the other hand, those who cursed Musharraf for overrunning the Islamabad’s Lal Masjid Garrison and killing armed and hostile students there, are mute today while almost every single day a missile launched from an American UAV kills dozens unarmed but “suspected terrorists” and satisfying the elected hierarchy of Pakistan of a smooth operation against terrorism. Since early 2009 Pakistan army’s extensive operation against so called Taliban in many Northern areas of the country has invited a new constant, inexorable wave of terrorism in form of suicide or bomb attacks, ambushes plus kidnapping, ransom and execution of government personnel, army and police forces; some two thousand Pakistanis have been killed in terrorist attacks or in American air strikes. Economy graphs are indicating destructive marks and the government which has been fail to overcome the decline cares for nothing except stretching time to the limit of its official tenure.
Also on the other hand; a majority of Pakistan’s active forums mainly ex-servicemen, judiciary, politicians, mullahs and media have been spreading anti Musharraf propaganda. Corruption charges against Musharraf government have been made; and he is strongly criticized for his “misdeeds” as president and army chief of Pakistan. Except the Pakistani armed forces, every forum has charged Musharraf with treason and demanded the Supreme Court of Pakistan to try and to punish him; even by some with sentence of death. Quite surprisingly, all of such anti Musharraf elements have become active after some negative sentiments are raised from the Western lobbies mainly the United States’ former officials of president George W. Bush administration. Also, Musharraf and his establishment are explicitly charged with the murder of Benazir Bhutto; though nothing done in regard of Musharraf’s alleged personal connection with Benazir’s murder while many of his then top government and security agency officials are also charged with same.
In September this year, Musharraf expressed his desire to return in Pakistani politics and to participate in next elections due in 2013. Also on October 1st he from London launched his political party The All Pakistan Muslim League which vows to introduce new culture in country’s politics. The party aims to target its campaign towards youth of Pakistan who Musharraf believes are disappointed with the corrupt environment of politics and seek dynamic and educated leadership. While on the other hand Musharraf’s announcement of return to Pakistan has sparked a tremendous anger in many local factions active to undermine Musharraf’s personal and political influence over Pakistan’s youth or other productive forums.
Voice of America in an article dated 15th September 2010 says
“If he returns to Pakistan, he could face legal scrutiny over the bloodless coup in October 1999 that brought him to power and his subsequent nine years of military rule. However, Mr. Musharraf dismissed those concerns.”
"There are elements who are opposed to me, political elements", he said. "They are the ones who engineer these cases and launch cases in the subordinate judiciary, one has to face all that. I am prepared to face that for the sake of Pakistan. And I know since whatever I did had all the legal backing and legal cover, I am very confident that nothing can happen legally against me."
By so many forums and usually more by ordinary citizens of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf is strongly criticized for allying with American war effort in Afghanistan and pushing Pakistan into turmoil. Many believe that by joining Western Alliance against Islamic Jihad in Afghanistan, Musharraf has thrown Pakistan into a hell of death and destruction; there is no peace in Pakistan and attacks on military and civilian population have taken thousands of lives. There is fear everywhere and nobody is safe from terrorist attacks. Mullahs who are an archrival of moderate society have also now become strongest enemy of armed forces of Pakistan from within the Pakistan as the consequences of army’s operations against Islamist elements who once were supported by the same army on official level. Many believe that Musharraf’s act of drawing the Pakistani army against Islamist Jihadis has destroyed its image in view of masses of what once they were proud of and has brought Muslim brethren toe to toe while many believe that Musharraf has simply dragged the Afghan-American war into once peaceful Pakistan.
Legacy:
Pervez Musharraf has left behind unforgettable, inerasable impacts over Pakistan and the lives of her people. One can surely recall those beautiful days and smile. From the very start it was a triumph. The evening Musharraf first sat before the nation to address wearing a borrowed camouflage from a subordinate officer, why don’t we think for a moment that he could have unhesitatingly declared a martial law at the very moment, which he did not and this was the hour the first change reflected. Then when he stood and walked to the Indian premier Vajpayee seated in far front block of the United Nations General Assembly and gave him his hand. In the history for the first time the 2002 elected national and provincial assemblies completed their tenure to the last official date. Dr. Ishratul Ebad Khan still peacefully holds office as Sindh’s Governor since 2002. Pakistani Rupee made its stunning stand against United States Dollar at 60 to 1 for almost 8 years. How can we forget the change which brought the then luxuries of life in ordinary access? Just one man carrying a command baton made an entire Third World nation of 160 millions indispensable for all global standard-bearers of democracy.
Musharraf maintains that he did not do anything actually; he just managed things properly. Saying “Pakistan has resources, potential, everything!!! Unfortunately all had been mishandled before; I just took things the right way”
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References:
Pervez Musharraf
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pervez_Musharraf
In the Line of Fire: A Memoir
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_the_Line_of_Fire:_A_Memoir
PERVEZ MUSHARRAF: PROFILE
http://www.bbc.co.uk/bbcfour/documentaries/profile/pervez-musharraf.shtml
Gale Encyclopedia of Biography: Pervez Musharraf
http://www.answers.com/topic/pervez-musharraf
The economy under Pervez Musharraf
http://www.defence.pk/forums/economy-development/7853-economy-under-pervez-musharraf.html
Why we support President Pervez Musharraf ?
http://www.pasdar-e-pakistan.org/wwsgm.htm
Pervez Musharraf Basic comparison of facts 1999 and 2007
http://www.daily.pk/why-musharraf-basic-comparison-of-facts-1999-and-2007-7462/
Musharraf's administration and Pakistan's economy
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m2242/is_1670_286/ai_n13807621/?tag=content;col1
Pakistan's ISI: The Guardians helping the Enemy
http://www.henryjacksonsociety.org/stories.asp?id=1088
Pakisatn City Karachi Online Information
http://pakistancity.org/karachi_online.html
Pakistan country profile
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1157960.stm
Pervez Musharaf – Ex- Cheif of Army Staff/ Ex- President Pakistan/ Writer
http://pakistaniprofiles.com/pervez-musharaf-cheif-army-staff-president-pakistan-writer/
Pervez Musharraf - Definition
http://www.wordiq.com/definition/Pervez_Musharraf
Pakistan army fully equipped to face challenges says President Pervez Musharraf
http://www.daily.pk/pakistan-army-fully-equipped-to-face-challenges-says-president-pervez-musharraf-5570/
Pakistan Army gets Sino-Pak developed Al-Khalid tanks
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/pakistan/2004/pakistan-040924-irna01.htm
US - Pakistan Relations: A Dialogue with Pervez Musharraf
http://www.acus.org/event/us-pakistan-relations-dialogue-pervez-musharraf
Taliban spreading war to Pakistan
http://english.ruvr.ru/2010/11/12/33668222.html
Pakistan Army Ordered to Open Fire on US Soldiers
http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/30-103352.aspx
Roots and fallout of anti-Americanism in Pakistan
http://najamsethi.com/ns/2003/01/roots-and-fallout-of-anti-americanism-in-pakistan/
President Bush authorizes US ground operations inside Pakistan
By Peter Symonds, Centre for Research on Globalization, Canada
http://www.globalresearch.ca/index.php?context=va&aid=10179
Time Magazine, US Stepping Up Operations in Pakistan
By Aryn Baker / Islamabad, 10th september 2008.
http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1840383,00.html
Pervez Musharraf was playing 'double game' with US: by Catherine Philp, Diplomatic Editor, Times Online Services, Copyright 2009 Times Newspapers Ltd.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article5747696.ece
J-10: The New Cornerstone of Sino-Pakistani Defense Cooperation
http://pakistanpal.livejournal.com/509554.html
US 'to expand Pakistan air strikes targeting al-Qaeda and the Taliban'
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/pakistan/5012693/US-to-expand-Pakistan-air-strikes-targeting-al-Qaeda-and-the-Taliban.html
CIA Drone Targeting Tech Revealed, Qaeda Claims
http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2009/07/infrared-beacons-guiding-cia-drone-strikes-qaeda-claims/
PAKISTAN: The Mad Mullahs
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,818042,00.html
The FM Mullahs and the Taliban’s Propaganda War in Pakistan
http://www.jamestown.org/single/?no_cache=1&tx_ttnews[tt_news]=35033
Inside the Red Mosque
http://english.aljazeera.net/programmes/witness/2007/07/200852517384913801.html
The Legacy of Benazir Bhutto
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/12/27/AR2007122701479.html
Bhutto’s Deadly Legacy
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/01/04/opinion/04dalrymple.html
Pakistan's Musharraf Attempts Political Comeback
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/Musharraf-Announces-Launch-of-New-Pakistan-Party-102945949.html
