Pervez Musharraf: Answering Your Top 3 Questions

[Sarmad]

I’m not satisfied with the NRO answer; I’m glad he is man enough to call it what it is–a mistake. Time will tell if he comes through on his promise to lay out his side of the story with that.

Pervez Musharraf: Answering Your Top 3 Questions

**1) Was there a way post 9/11 for Pakistan to handle the Americans and the Taliban that would have avoided the current situation where we seem to be stuck with a deteriorating law and order situation? **

I think we dealt with both in the best possible manner under most difficult circumstances. With regards to the US, the big question after 9/11 was whether to join the Coalition or not. The Americans had decided they were going to attack Afghanistan, and because of geographic compulsions, the attack was most likely going to come from the East. The positives of joining the coalition far outweighed the negatives of not joining.

Imagine what would have happened, had we not joined the coalition? The attack would have still taken place using bases provided by our neighbour, jeopardizing our territorial integrity. The flow of Al Qaeda and Taliban into Pakistan and the spreading of obscurantist Talibanisation into our country would have happened at a much greater scale. This was certainly not in our own interest. Therefore joining the Coalition was and is primarily in our own national interest. It happens to be in US interest also. The thought that we are playing the US game is simply not correct.

With the passage of time the situation has become more complex. There is strong Taliban resurgence in Afghanistan, developing nexus with Taliban in our tribal agencies, spreading Talibanisation into settled districts of NWFP. These in turn are developing links with extremists in our own society, further complicating the issue. The bottom line is that we have to defeat terrorism and extremism wherever it comes from. The Taliban have done tremendous damage to us and will not hesitate to do more unless we defeat them. The choice is stark. We as a nation have to decide what we want for ourselves. A progressive, enlightened, tolerant Islamic society or a retrogressive, obscurantist society?

2) Lal Masjid- Sifting Truth from Lies

The Lal Masjid operation is a case study of how an appropriately timed, meticulously planned and boldly executed operation launched in the supreme national interest can be distorted by vested interests who want to present it as a disaster. I would like to elaborate/clarify various issues which have been distorted.

1. **“Hundreds of innocent people were killed which included scores of women and children.” **
   This is an absolute lie. Firstly none of those killed were innocent. They were terrorists (including five foreigners) who took the law in their own hands and killed a number of policemen, kidnapped and physically tortured Chinese citizens (causing embarrassment to the government) and burnt down Ministry of Environment offices, property and vehicles. They had stored arms and explosives in the mosque and were equipped/prepared for suicide bombings. **Secondly the numbers killed were NINETY FOUR and not a single woman or child was killed. This can be ascertained by digging their graves and counting.
   **

2. **“The operation was launched overriding efforts to end the occupation peacefully.” **
   Nothing could be farther from the truth. The siege of Lal Masjid and Jamia Hafsa was started about six months before the operation. There were about two thousand five hundred girls in Jamia Hafsa and an equal number of men who had taken over Lal Masjid. Despite all the pressure on the government in the media to act and evict the occupants who were challenging the writ of the government and causing immense embarrassment, the decision taken was to negotiate a peaceful settlement to avoid casualties. In the months that followed, representatives from Wafaqul Madaris and the Council of Islamic Ideology were sent to negotiate, Maulana Edhis’ wife was sent to pacify the girls and even Imam Kaaba was gracious enough to contribute towards an amicable end to the confrontation. Besides this, a number of politicians and notables also tried their best to resolve the issue. All this was to no avail. The primary concern before launching the operation was how to avoid casualties. The operation was launched only after all efforts towards a negotiated settlement failed and maximum occupants including all women and children were drawn out. The individuals left were all hardened terrorists including five foreigners who refused to surrender and decided to fight it out.

We as Pakistanis must realise that we cannot be known internationally as a “Soft State” or a “Banana Republic” where there is no writ of the government. The government has to be strong enough to meet any challenge to its authority. Then only can we emerge as a stable, strong, respectable country in the comity of nations. We also have to make sure that religion is not misused to challenge the state and spread extremism in the society.

Lal Masjid operation stands as a tribute to the gallantry of all the soldiers, especially of SSG, rangers and policemen who participated in the operation. May all the Shaheeds rest in peace.

**3) What compelled you to promulgate the NRO? **
I very much feel responsible for answering this question which is rightly agitating many minds. However because of certain political sensitivities, I will have to pend the answer for the time being with a promise that I will take the nation on board at the appropriate time. The one clarification that I will make is that I committed this **mistake **on the strong advice of the political leadership at that time who are now blatantly disowning connections with it. My interest was only national with absolutely no personal bias or agenda.

**“Through the NRO you brought corrupt politicians to power and made Zardari the President.” **
NRO may have allowed Asif Zardari or corrupt politicians to contest elections but it certainly was not the cause of their coming to power. **NRO is not responsible for electing the PPP as the majority party or allowing Asif Zardari to win an election. **NRO is not responsible for corrupt politicians sitting in Assemblies, or being appointed as Ministers. All this happened through the votes of the people of Pakistan. NRO is not responsible for all Parliamentarians of Provincial and National Assemblies and Senate having overwhelmingly voted for Asif Zardari as President. The nation has to learn to cast their votes for the right person and the right party.

[mYsTeRiOuS_gUy]

Re: Pervez Musharraf: Answering Your Top 3 Questions

Any SENSIBLE person will read these comments and appreciate what Musharaff said above. This is the reason why i have always supported this person and will keep supporting. I know most people won't even bother reading it because Musharraff is supposed to be a traitor, American chamcha, Israeli agent etc etc but it definitely makes a lot of sense.
People need to read the answer to the question about "lal masjid", this is eye openers to a lot of jaahils who think Musharaff "the kafir" slaughtered innocent kids to please America. Read the part where he mentions "sending hundreds of people inside the mosque" to convince those terrorists but nothing worked.

Musharraff was the only real leader we have had in the last few decades. Many people have realized that since he has left and many more will in near future :)

[mYsTeRiOuS_gUy]

I'm not satisfied with the NRO answer; I'm glad he is man enough to call it what it is--a mistake. Time will tell if he comes through on his promise to lay out his side of the story with that.

Any links Sarmad???(Where did you get this from??)

[aurchaepiyo]

Any SENSIBLE person will read these comments and appreciate what Musharaff said above. This is the reason why i have always supported this person and will keep supporting. I know most people won't even bother reading it because Musharraff is supposed to be a traitor, American chamcha, Israeli agent etc etc but it definitely makes a lot of sense. People need to read the answer to the question about "lal masjid", this is eye openers to a lot of jaahils who think Musharaff "the kafir" slaughtered innocent kids to please America. Read the part where he mentions "sending hundreds of people inside the mosque" to convince those terrorists but nothing worked.

Musharraff was the only real leader we have had in the last few decades. Many people have realized that since he has left and many more will in near future :)

I agree.

[suhaib]

Re: Pervez Musharraf: Answering Your Top 3 Questions

its from musharrafs facebook page.

[Shamraz_Khan]

Any SENSIBLE person will read these comments and appreciate what Musharaff said above. This is the reason why i have always supported this person and will keep supporting. I know most people won't even bother reading it because Musharraff is supposed to be a traitor, American chamcha, Israeli agent etc etc but it definitely makes a lot of sense. People need to read the answer to the question about "lal masjid", this is eye openers to a lot of jaahils who think Musharaff "the kafir" slaughtered innocent kids to please America. Read the part where he mentions "sending hundreds of people inside the mosque" to convince those terrorists but nothing worked.

Musharraff was the only real leader we have had in the last few decades. Many people have realized that since he has left and many more will in near future :)

Mushrraf had 2 big problems credibility and legitimacy. Without these 2 basic ingredients you can't governed. BTW, I find it funny you forgot what he did on Nov 3 2007. Any good he may have done before that went down the toilet that day.

[burqaposhx]

Mushrraf had 2 big problems credibility and legitimacy. ..

Let me ask (with due respect) who else ever had been able to avoid these "2 big problems".

Perhaps the fault lies with us the educated elite.

Hum kissi ko bhi tiknay nahin daitay.

We want to kick out the elected leaders with the same zeal too. 2 years is a tops for any leader.

after that the honey moon is over, and we start the saas bahoo games aka internal squabbling.

No wonder they say "Pakistanio ki daig per pehra nahin hota".

[mYsTeRiOuS_gUy]

Mushrraf had 2 big problems credibility and legitimacy. Without these 2 basic ingredients you can't governed. BTW, I find it funny you forgot what he did on Nov 3 2007. Any good he may have done before that went down the toilet that day.

It comes down to what you WANT to believe. He has said so many times that it was a wrong decision to dismiss CJ Iftikhar. As i expected you probably didn't even bother to read what he said about his decision to join "war on terror" and "lal masjid" but only chose to comment on something he has admitted many times.

So you think everything he did for Pakistan went down the toilet because of one mistake, wow we really are talking about PERFECTION here.You might have to wait for a few hundred years before you can find someone so perfect that you won't expect a single mistake.

[Sa1eem]

It comes down to what you WANT to believe. He has said so many times that it was a wrong decision to dismiss CJ Iftikhar. As i expected you probably didn't even bother to read whathe said about his decision to join "war on terror" and "lal masjid" but only chose to comment on something he has admitted many times.

So you think everything he did for Pakistan went down the toilet because of one mistake, wow we really are talking about PERFECTION here.You might have to wait for a few hundred years before you can find someone so perfect that you won't expect a single mistake.

I do not know what wrong Musharraf did with Iftikhar Chaudhary? Whenever I asked supporters of Iftikhar Chaudhary about why they think what Musharraf did was wrong than after few stupid arguments from them I found that either they were ignorant of facts or were supporters of corruption, nepotism and exploitation. Some even told me on face that there is nothing wrong in corruption and nepotism. It was no surprise because they themselves were mentally incapables but got up in life because of corruption and exploitation by their dad and benefits they received due to nepotism by their friends and relatives.

Anyhow ... let put ourselves in position of President (Musharraf). Musharraf appointed Iftikhar Chaudhary in Supreme Court and later made him Chief Justice. So, when stories about Iftikhar on corruption, nepotism, misuse of power, misconduct and misbehaviour started coming in public and Musharraf started getting accused that he choose a corrupt person as Chief Justice, than his action on Iftikhar is understandable.

Anyhow, what was the action? Did Musharraf pulled trouser of Iftikhar chaudhary and gave him beating on his buttock? No, not really.

What Musharraf did was sent a reference to SJC (Supreme Judicial Council) consisting of 3 most senior Judges of SC plus 2 senior most Chief Justices of high courts so that they can investigate allegations on Iftikhar. (High court CJ were of Lahore and NWFP ... actually it would have been CJ of Sindh high court, but allegation was that Iftikhar was holding the residence of Sindh High Court CJ and was using that residence as his holiday residence in Sindh whereas CJ of Sindh High court was forced to live in his own accommodation, thus including him in SJC would have made one member of SJC team as bias against Iftikhar due to personal grievances, hence he was excluded though he was senior than CJ of NWFP high court).

So ... what was wrong there? If Iftikhar was innocent of those allegations then there was no problem. Iftikhar needed no Monkeys to support him nor needed to do Bhangra on road. Iftikhar should have laughed on those allegations and contested that. If he was innocent of those allegations than he would have got exonerated by SJC. Once exonerated, he would have assumed his office respectably, shutting the mouth of all critics. Anyhow, since Iftikhar was not innocent, he did everything to stop investigation, even appealed in SC, did all string pulling, and in the end made SC stop investigation on him by SJC.

For instance, if I was in place of Iftikhar and was innocent than with all those published allegations, I would have helped SJC to get me investigated fully and defended myself in front of SJC. Further, I would have appreciated Musharraf’s step as that step would have given me chance to get myself exonerated of all allegations. Unfortunately, all those allegations were true and that is why Iftikhar insted of letting investigation reach to conclusion, he did everything from Bhangra on road, pressuring government in every way using other corrupts, and in the end used his contacts in Supreme Court to get investigation stopped (something really silly, as even today I could not understand how SC could stop SJC from investigating, because SJC is there for investigating judges and it seems ridiculous that judges do corruption and when getting investigated, give verdict to stop investigation).

Anyhow ... My Question again to all: If Iftikhar was not corrupt and was not involved in nepotism than WHY he started Bhangra on road to stop SJC investigating him?

Plus ... Even though SC did it, how it is possible that SC stops SJC from investigating, as SJC is higher body that investigates judges and certainly if there is allegation of corruption than investigating is most important to determine that allegation is untrue (and only person guilty would like such investigations not to happen).

[There are many questions that once answered shows that Iftikhar was corrupt and needed to get sacked, but above two question is really intriguing].

[kakaballi]

Re: Pervez Musharraf: Answering Your Top 3 Questions

^ Your story would make sense if CJ was sacked because of corruption.

[Sa1eem]

^ Your story would make sense if CJ was sacked because of corruption.

But Iftikhar was never sacked, so where you got this idea?

Actually on 3rd Nov Constitution was put in abeyance and PCO (Provincial Constitutional Order) was issued. All judges take oath to work with prevailing constitution as they work on constitutional laws prevailing at the time of judgement. Thus, once PCO was issued, Judges needed to take new oath under PCO. Many judges did not wanted to take oath on PCO and that means they were unwilling to work according to prevailing laws of the time (under PCO) and because of that they automatically became unfit for office thus loses office (assumed as judges who decided to not work). This is the reason Iftikhar lost his office and not because he was sacked.

Why Musharraf did not sacked Iftikhar? Because, however ridiculous, SC stopped SJC from investigation and that means all allegations on Iftikhar even true could not be investigated by SJC. Even though it has happened regularly in past, constitutionally a Judge should not get sacked (removed from office) without such investigation by SJC. That is what happened with Iftikhar due to his Bhangra on road and getting illegal judgment from SC, that SC stopped SJC from investigating Iftikhar, and thus stopping constitutional requirement that an alleged corrupt judge should get investigated to determine if he/she is corrupt and than only he/she gets sacked. Since President Musharraf was decent he followed this rule and did not took any step, rather let him assume his office, else if Musharraf was like Ayub, Zia, Bhutto, Nawaz, BeNazir etc ... than he would have sacked Iftikhar humiliatingly without even sending reference to SJC (as all rulers in Pakistan did in past).