President Pervez Musharraf

Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who was the Army Chief during the Kargil conflict, had admitted to the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif that the conflict was a “misadventure” and had urged him to initiate steps to save the country from an embarrassment, a top leader of Sharif’s party was quoted as saying on April 14.

Blaming Pakistan’s Generals for the 1999 Kargil “fiasco”, the acting president and Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said that after the bloody clashes with the Indian Army, the three Services Chiefs sought an emergency meeting with Sharif at the Governor’s House in Lahore and admitted that they had committed a “misadventure”.

After the meeting with Service Chiefs, Sharif took all necessary steps to save the country from the impending embarrassment and finalised his plans to visit Washington, where he finally agreed for a ceasefire, Hasmi, a former minister, said.

On Sharif’s return from US, Musharraf called on him and saluted him for achieving a ceasefire, Hashmi told a seminar.

The PML leader also charged that the present regime headed by Musharraf has greed to share command and control system of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons with the United States, which, he said, would gravely hurt Pakistan’s interest and Army’s prestige.

On the possibility of the United States targeting Pakistan after its war in Iraq, Hashmi said there was no chance of it as US has complete knowledge of Pakistan’s nuclear assets.

“Now a dual security system (of nuclear weapons) is in place. So why would Americans attack Pakistan when they already know about the location of our nuclear assets?” he said.

Referring to the statement of pre-emptive attack made by Indian Ministers, Hashmi claimed, “These war threats by India were being hurled on the behest of United States which had made a triangle with Israel and India in the region.”

Hashmi, along with other Opposition leaders criticised Musharraf for bringing the Constitutional amendments to accrue more powers for himself.

He said an individual has no right to decide the fate of 140 million Pakistanis and Musharraf must relinquish those powers in favour of Parliament as stated by the 1973 Constitution.
Islamabad: Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who was the Army Chief during the Kargil conflict, had admitted to the then prime minister Nawaz Sharif that the conflict was a “misadventure” and had urged him to initiate steps to save the country from an embarrassment, a top leader of Sharif’s party was quoted as saying on April 14.

Blaming Pakistan’s Generals for the 1999 Kargil “fiasco”, the acting president and Parliamentary leader of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) said that after the bloody clashes with the Indian Army, the three Services Chiefs sought an emergency meeting with Sharif at the Governor’s House in Lahore and admitted that they had committed a “misadventure”.

After the meeting with Service Chiefs, Sharif took all necessary steps to save the country from the impending embarrassment and finalised his plans to visit Washington, where he finally agreed for a ceasefire, Hasmi, a former minister, said.

On Sharif’s return from US, Musharraf called on him and saluted him for achieving a ceasefire, Hashmi told a seminar.

The PML leader also charged that the present regime headed by Musharraf has greed to share command and control system of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons with the United States, which, he said, would gravely hurt Pakistan’s interest and Army’s prestige.

On the possibility of the United States targeting Pakistan after its war in Iraq, Hashmi said there was no chance of it as US has complete knowledge of Pakistan’s nuclear assets.

“Now a dual security system (of nuclear weapons) is in place. So why would Americans attack Pakistan when they already know about the location of our nuclear assets?” he said.

Referring to the statement of pre-emptive attack made by Indian Ministers, Hashmi claimed, “These war threats by India were being hurled on the behest of United States which had made a triangle with Israel and India in the region.”

Hashmi, along with other Opposition leaders criticised Musharraf for bringing the Constitutional amendments to accrue more powers for himself.

He said an individual has no right to decide the fate of 140 million Pakistanis and Musharraf must relinquish those powers in favour of Parliament as stated by the 1973 Constitution.

Re: President Pervez Musharraf

Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he "literally wept" when he heard the "disgusting" news of surrender of Pakistani troops during the Bangladesh war with India.
Appearing on PTV's programme First Family, the General described the 1965 and 1971 wars with India as "important" events in his life.
During the 1965 war, Musharraf, who was then a second lieutenant in the Army, said he was saved from a lot of perilous situations.
In 1971 war he was serving as a commando but not in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh.
Musharraf said he was "emotionally hurt" and "literally wept" when he heard of surrender of Pakistani troops in the then East Pakistan.
Over 90,000 Pakistani troops led by Gen Niazi surrendered to Indian Army in Dhaka.
The troops were later released following the Shimla Agreement between Indira and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
In reply to a question, he said Pakistan Army is fully with him because he has braved off difficulties and dangers with him.
"Each and every personnel is with me because I have not been I have not been a desk-type commander -- I have been living through dangers and hardships with them. They are with me not because of my rank but because they love me and that is leadership."
First Lady Sehba Musharraf, the President's son Bilal and his daughter Ayela Raza candidly shared their experiences, thoughts and hopes for the country's future in the programme.
"My greatest achievement is economic revival of Pakistan -- the possibility of pulling the country out of deep economic morass looked remote in 1999 it looked almost improbable in the face of an inextricable circle of debt-servicing but we managed it," he said.
"Not only I saved the country from sinking but I would like to be remembered for taking it forward and putting it on a course to move forward as a dynamic, progressive and enlightened society -- that is what I've achieved for Pakistan," he said in the programme.
"I must be remembered for protecting the country from economic bankruptcy," the General said.
While he admired Pakistan founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah, as an army officer, his favourites have always been Roman and German generals.
He is not generally impressed by a singular entity, but greatly admires founding father Kamal Atatturk, whom he considers as the saviour of Turkish nation.
The fact that Kamal Atatturk battled the European allies with a mere, 275,000 Turkish soldiers, majority of whom perished, managing to have saved the nation, he said.
Commenting on his family background, he said he including his family belonged to the middle class and that he was representative of the middle class.
Believing in destiny, he said it was with divine held he rose to become the President from the ranks of a "mere brigadier" in 1990.
He said he loved his daughter and son and described humility and honesty as values of their life.
"They don't tell any body that their father is President of Pakistan," he said.

Re: President Pervez Musharraf

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