Pakistan

Military rescues when politicians lose: Musharraf

Former president says Pakistan should always be prepared for an Indian offensive.

Express January 26, 2011

Former president Pervez Musharraf, now the founder of his own political party, is still supportive of the military’s role in governing Pakistan.

In an interview with Al Jazeera on Monday, the founder of the All Pakistan Muslim League said: “The military must always have some sort of role to moderate on Pakistan. But that is also not acceptable to politicians. Then what is acceptable? To break Pakistan?”

Military gets involved when there is bad governance, the retired general said. “The military is the most stabilising factor in Pakistan. As long as the military is there, Pakistan will remain,” he said.

“Democracy is when an elected government comes into place and governs. Right now Pakistan is almost being declared as a failed state and as a sick man of Asia. Is this how you govern?” the former president added.

When asked if he still feels India is the biggest threat to Pakistan, he said: “I think there’s no comparison. Taliban are posing a threat now, India has posed a threat all along.”

Musharraf said that no one talks about what India did in East Pakistan. “They split half of our country with active connivance from RAW and the Indian military. Indira Gandhi said her greatest achievement was the breaking up of Pakistan,” Musharraf said.

Musharraf further said that Americans should not tell Pakistan what to do in dealing with militancy in its tribal areas. “Don’t teach us, please. We know more in our area in the tribal agencies than you.”

On Pakistan’s nuclear assets falling in the wrong hands, the former president said: “Pakistan’s nuclear assets are under complete control of the military. So unless you defeat the Pakistan military nobody can access the nuclear assets.”

When asked about accusations of Pakistan military and the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) backing Jihadist elements, Musharraf said: “This is not the case. Since 1979 events have been changing so much that Pakistan has been adjusting its diplomacy and relationships with various players. From 1979 - 1989 we were encouraging religious militancy. Then from 1989 – 2001 we were all alone and the ISI was fending for itself. So the ISI and the subsequent governments have had to change their policies with time.”

Visibly upset at a question on how he would rule with a party consisting of corrupt people, the former military ruler said: “I can show you a thousand letters urging me to come to Pakistan.

“You go to my Facebook, there are more than 30,000 followers,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 26^th, 2011.

COMMENTS (10)

Hasnain | 13 years ago | Reply I think before you start campaigning for "democracy" you need to study and assess the prerequisites for a democracy to succeed. Very successful countries, at least countries much better off than Pakistan, do not have any democratic element involved in the appointment of their government. The military is somewhat better trained and educated than the average Pakistani civilian or common person. The common man in Pakistani is not in a position (geographically, financially, humanly) to make an informed decision about whom he should elect. Trust me, he has bigger things to worry about. Fareed Zakaria believes that liberalism is one such prerequisite and Pakistan is far from accomplishing a liberal state. I believe that the government should have complete transparency (which is also necessary in a democratic government) and then I read the Freedom of Information Ordinance, 2002. Gen. Musharraf appears to have been one of the only leaders to have thought these things out. A democratic government is not sustainable for Pakistan until an entire generation of the population is educated and liberalized. Perhaps then a successful revolution like Tunisia's could put the "civilian population" in Pakistan in control of the country. One last thing, the "military" is composed of exactly the same individuals who comprise the "civil society" and civilian population of Pakistan. They are not a unique, tailor-made species of people, they too are ordinary Pakistani people like us. Instead of engaging in this typical Pakistani habit of pointing fingers at the "other" and seeking scapegoats for every limitation in our society the entire society should engage in some introspection. Corruption, hypocrisy and fundamentalism have deeply infiltrated all levels of Pakistani society and we need to change, educate and positively inspire the people around us. ps: some of you who are reading this will/have probably talk/talked rudely to their maids/servants/drivers or make/made them toil for your petty tasks and for petty wages. Those are the average Pakistani's, not you. Life needs to improve drastically for those individuals who comprise the voting majority of Pakistan. Everyone campaigning for democracy should start at home and ensure that human rights, suitable living standards, wages and dignity are made available for the common citizen of Pakistan serving us.

Fuad | 13 years ago | Reply Facebook followers? How many of them voted in the last election....? Sorry Mush this is a very poor yardstick, shows how out of sync you are with reality.

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Aftab Kenneth Wilson | 13 years ago | Reply It is an established fact that real democracy has never been accepted by people in uniform. Even now both in foreign and domestic policies they are taken on board. The day our men in uniform sincerely stop meddling openly and behind the scenes the system will start marching on its both feet to success. Let alone the people and elected political parties decide what is good and what is bad for the country. Things are no longer same, specially in the Muslim world and now some cases are in front of us (Tunisia, Iraq, Egypt, Libya, Jordan and many are in waiting). Drawing room politics and manipulations will lead us no where. We have already experienced variety of systems. Democracy is the only way through free and fair elections. Lot of "Nose Pocking" and crossings of each others boundaries from different state and non state actors will only create chaos and anarchy. Being a Nuclear power is not which can save us from any major disaster but Economic Power is the main power which keeps things moving safely and swiftly.

Khawar Latif Butt | 13 years ago | Reply Let us admit that General Musharaf was a total failure in the end.It is only a myth that army should step in when the politicians fail. Who will take the decision that politicians have failed? Agreed, Pakistani politicians are a long way off from maturing. But we must remember that answer to weak democracy is more democracy. Military rule is certainly not the prescription for Pakistan's problems. When Musharaf ran away from Pakistan, we were much worse off than we were in 1992 when he staged a military coup.

khalid.aziz | 13 years ago | Reply Military establishment keeps on destabilising the democratic set up and then decides to take over the country in the darkness of a vicious night in the "best interest" of the country then 10, 11 years of providing their best services in the "best interest" of the country give another chance to civil rule to clean up the mess. Keep it up bravos- thanks for all the wonderful gifts given by you guys to this poor nation.

more of the same | 13 years ago | Reply Dear General, The fact that politicians loose is because of military generals like you who seize power by force, make a joke of the constitution and corrupt the political system with fake referendums and ignoble NROs. (not to mention the gift of militancy terrorism and foreign interference). You are a failed dictator only encouraged by the shi--y performance of the NRO politicians you gifted us.

Sharjeel Jawaid | 13 years ago | Reply Carry on General! You could bring little difference in the national philosophy during your rule. I wonder how can you be effective living outside the GHQ & The President House. I took you to be sincere person until you cracked down on the Judiciary in the most crude manner and made an attempt to prolong your stay by promulgating the NRO. I still think you would make a better President. However 300000 votes from the face book cannot put you at the desired place. In retrospect, I am of the opinion that you would have been much better off [and the country as well] have you ruled as a benevolent dictator and not gone through the farce of referendum and seeking the support of the Choudhries. Sincerely / Sharjeel Jawaid

Sharjeel Jawaid | 13 years ago | Reply Dear General / please carry on! You could bring little difference in the national philosophy during your rule. I wonder how can you be effective living outside the GHQ & The President House. I took you to be sincere person until you cracked down on the Judiciary in the most crude manner and made an attempt to prolong your stay by promulgating the NRO. I still think you would make a better President. However 300000 votes from the face book cannot put you at the desired place. In retrospect, I am of the opinion that you would have been much better off [and the country as well] had you ruled as a benevolent dictator and not gone through the farce of referendum and sought the support of Choudhries from Gujrat. Sincerely / Sharjeel Jawaid

Q | 13 years ago | Reply Military is the savior indeed. Long Live PM.

Yasser Khan | 13 years ago | Reply Make correction, its written 30,000. he has more than 300,000 army on Facebook :-) oh i forgot Obama was popular on Facebook too before clinching presidency of US

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