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MARCO WERMAN: Afghanistan’s neighbor, Pakistan, is in the middle of a major military offensive against the Taliban. The Pakistani army is trying to take control of the militant stronghold of South Waziristan along the Afghan border. Army officials say 16 soldiers have died so far while more than 100 militants have been killed. Pakistan’s former president, General Pervez Musharraf is visiting the US right now and came to our studio. I asked him if the offensive in South Waziristan is the solution to Pakistan’s problems with the Taliban.
PERVEZ MUSHARRAF: It’s not the solution but it’s one part of the solution. I’ve always said that solution lies in a triple directional strategy – military, political, and socio-economic. So the military part is being executed well after having dealt with Swat and [INDISCERNIBLE] they’ve now gone to South Waziristan. So I think it’s good – the using of concentrated force in a peace [INDISCERNIBLE] objective.
WERMAN: And do you think the operation Swat was effective?
MUSHARRAF: Yes I think it was successful.
WERMAN: But recently there were 40 killed in a suicide attack and so it raises the issue, it’s one thing to take a region; it’s another thing to hold it.
MUSHARRAF: Well even if you hold it that doesn’t mean that you can guarantee that no suicide attack will take place. I know that the law enforcement agency, the army’s opening a [INDISCERNIBLE] there. It will be there. So it will be held. But that doesn’t mean that no bullet will be fired by any terrorist. Because if a person is there to carry out a suicide attack it’s really very difficult to avoid it.
WERMAN: There’s been a slow steady drumbeat of Afghan officials along with NATO accusing Pakistan of not doing enough to stem the movement of militants sympathetic to al-Qaeda and the Taliban across the border into Afghanistan. Why has this offensive in South Waziristan taken so long and why didn’t you engage in an equally forceful offensive in the same area?
MUSHARRAF: It was I who moved the two divisions in North and South Waziristan back and I think immediately up to [INDISCERNIBLE]. Who has been catching all these al-Qaeda people? Who did that? It was in my time. Hundreds of them have been caught. So how do you say that we hadn’t operated? They are there since long and they have been operating there.
WERMAN: So why, again, why the need for another offensive? Why this upsurge in violence?
MUSHARRAF: Yeah it’s because all these eight years there has been an upsurge of Taliban activity. A Taliban who were finished after 9/11. They had an upsurge in Afghanistan. [PH] Mula Omar and all his [INDISCERNIBLE] are reestablished in Afghanistan in the same region from where they dominated or they controlled 90 percent of Afghanistan. So after 2004 – 05 there was an upsurge. We saw the downward trend in al-Qaeda because of Pakistan’s actions and an upward trend, swing, in the Taliban support. And therefore now the situation is al-Qaeda is down. Who did this? Obviously Pakistan forces operating in Pakistan, in [INDISCERNIBLE] and mountains. But the Taliban upsurge has come about in Afghanistan and that has a great impact in Pakistan because there are now Pakistani Taliban in South and North Waziristan much stronger links with across the border and they are acting. So this is now a different ballgame all together.
WERMAN: Now as a former military leader – I mean you were a military leader who came to power in a coup. You stepped down as head of the army in 2007. You recognized at the time the merit of a civilian government in Pakistan. Now in Afghanistan yesterday a runoff election was announced to take place on November 7th. What is at stake for Pakistan with this vote in Afghanistan?
MUSHARRAF: Well I don’t think it directly affects Pakistan.
WERMAN: You don’t?
MUSHARRAF: It does affect Afghanistan.
WERMAN: But what affects Afghanistan, affects Pakistan ultimately.
MUSHARRAF: Well yes indirectly, indirectly. I think one would require if we are to win in Afghanistan we have to have a credible, legitimate government in Afghanistan. And that is not the case. But Pakistan’s interest is in a legitimate, acceptable government to all the ethnic minorities of Afghanistan for the sake of Afghanistan because if we can have better peace in Afghanistan it will be of advantage to Pakistan certainly.
WERMAN: You’ve been quite critical of President Hamid Karzai. What happens, in your opinion, to the region if he is president again? If he wins this runoff election.
MUSHARRAF: Well I think I’ve been critical, yes, because of certain observations that I had in his criticizing Pakistan, in his supporting elements who are instrumental in carrying out terrorism in Baltistan. So there are certain things that I disagree with him. These were my observations and my accusations against him. So I used to criticize him on that. The other thing is that he used to throw the entire blame on Pakistan – that whatever is happening in Afghanistan is because of Pakistan. And I think the world must understand that this is absolutely the opposite. Whatever is happening in Pakistan is because of Afghanistan. The same [INDISCERNIBLE], the same Taliban, resurgence of that force in Afghanistan.
WERMAN: But in fact it’s very hard to say where these militants are coming from. They could be coming form Pakistan as well as Afghansitan. So both countries are in fact … .
MUSHARRAF: No they are coming … . No actually there’s no doubt at all. Absolutely. I have no doubt at all. Taliban under [INDISCERNIBLE] control 90% of Afghanistan. There is support to them in Pakistan. There are safe havens in Pakistan. And there are Taliban elements of Pakistan also. But if anyone thinks that they are all coming from Pakistan this is what the misperception that exists in Untied States and this misperception is fanned by people like President Karzai unfortunately. And this is misleading the world.
WERMAN: Pervez Musharraf, former president of Pakistan. Thank you very much for your time.
MUSHARRAF: Thank you.
WERMAN: Hear more about Pervez Musharraf’s current US visit and about his plans for a return to Pakistan at our website. You’ll also find a link to the former Pakistani leader’s newly launched Facebook page. It’s all at http://www.theworld.org
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Source: The World


‘I support what the government and army are doing to eliminate the threat of terrorism and extremism,’ he told a select crowd at a dinner hosted by members of the Pakistani-American community at a hotel in the borough of Staten Island on Sunday night.
Dr. Ghayur Ayub’s satirical remarks made in his letter, “The Big Question”, in to-day’s Pakistan Observer are sober as well as hilarious. Mr. Hussain Haqqani’s role enacted so far, gives the impression that he is serving American interests more in Pakistan than serving Pakistan’s interests in America. His meaningful contribution at drafting the Kerry- Lugar Bill, as hinted by Dr. Ayub, is an instance to quote. There is no surprise in it, though. Her leader, Benazir Bhutto, on the eve of her return to Pakistan in December, 2007, from her self- imposed exile abroad, issued a statement to the effect, that she would see to it that the foreign stake holders be afforded access to Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan and Pak nukes. In today’s news- papers, another PPP stalwart, Mr. Wajid Shamsul Hassan, Pakistan’s High Commissioner in U. K., has advised Pakistanis that the said bill is going to” help democracy in Pakistan”. One is at a loss to understand as to how and which democracy the bill is supposed to promote—Z. A. Bhutto’s, Benazir’s, Nawaz Sharif’s or Zardari’s? This hapless nation is already fed up with a hotchpotch of civilian and dictatorial models enforced in Pakistan in the name of “democracy”. Masses groaning under the crushing burden of ever deepening poverty and deprivation are interested in only and only in a system that guarantees them riddance from their present agony. Unfortunately, none of the so called democratic or dictatorial systems enforced here from time to time, has brought them any succor. False promises and hollow sloganeering, is not going to turn the tide. Rulers must focus their efforts and energies at initiating concrete action, to salvage the devastated economy and improve the horrible law and order situation without which no improvement is possible.
Knowledgeable Pakistanis will disagree with many a point raised by Syed Khan Baloch in his letter captioned, “Baluchistan Amnesty” (Pakistan Observer of the 20th instant) that Baluchistan is the least developed province of the country, no body denies. However, the fact why it is so, is attributable to two main factors: one, its neglect by the successive governments; two, geographical location of the province —- a vast arid land located in a far -fetched part of the country, very thinly populated, perennially suffering from scanty rainfall coupled with scarcity of other water resources. The said state of affairs in not making of the last sixty-two years, rather this legacy goes back into distant past. Another important factor that has bedeviled Baluchistan’s progress all these years, is the presence there of feudal system in its worst form that has retarded its development process. Feudal sardars like, Bughtis, Marris, Mengals etc. whose stranglehold over the masses in their areas of influence is complete, in pursuit of their selfish interests, put breaks, even through use of force, to all developmental activities like building of infrastructure, schools, hospitals etc. that has to take place in their areas. Their said illegal activities have constantly challenged the authority of the Govt. and undermined writ of the State. That is why, during Z.A. Bhutto’s and Pervez Musharraf’s reign, military action had to be taken against the culprits.
Mr. B. A. Malik in his article titled,” Myth and Reality of Pakistan” (P. O. 28-9-2009), has specified certain myths, which according to him, have DEFINED the psychology of the nation since its inception” .Everyone has the right to express his opinion on any issue of his liking. Mr. Malik has done so on certain “ major myths”, as he has put it, in his said write up .I would like to avail this opportunity to offer my point of view on some of his perceptions that I do not find in consonance with the realities on ground.
Former Pakistani president Gen. Pervez Musharraf said that President Obama should have complied “yesterday” with
LAHORE: Pakistan and India will face great danger from Al Qaeda if the United States pulls out of Afghanistan, former president Pervez Musharraf said on Thursday.
Former president of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf said India poses an “existential threat” to Pakistan to a packed Salomon 101 Tuesday night. His wide-ranging speech touched on nuclear proliferation, the Talibanization of Afghanistan and the challenges of leadership.
PPP leader, Benazir Bhutto, held the office of the prime minister twice—1988 to 1990 and 1993 to 1996. On both occasions, she was dismissed from office by the then Presidents on charges of corruption, mismanagement and incompetence. President Ghulam Ishaq Khan also alleged, that Benazir had a close friendship with Rajev Gandhi; had links with RAW and she had betrayed the Sikh cause by providing names of important Sikh leaders to the Indian Govt. As per press reports, in accordance with her negotiated power sharing deal with President Pervez Musharraf, she was granted amnesty and by virtue of NRO, all charges against her, including amassing of mammoth ill-gotten riches, were withdrawn. Unfortunately, she was assassinated soon after her return to Pakistan in December, 2007. The oft-repeated claim of PPP, including Benazir Bhutto, that they had promoted democracy in the country, is a complete hoax; she never conducted in-party elections—-nomination was the norm; she accepted life-Chairmanship of the party without any hesitation and in her “will”, she nominated her husband to be her successor, as if it was a dynastic rule. Democracy was thus confined merely to holding of general elections.
Nawaz Sharif also held the post of the Prime Minister twice—-from 1990 to 1993 and from 1997 to 1999. In 1993, he was dismissed by the President on charges of corruption, nepotism and incompetence. In 1999, he was ousted by the then Army Chief Pervez Musharraf, when he tried to get rid of him by not allowing his plane to land anywhere in Pakistan Before that, Nawaz got rid of former Army Chief, General Jahangir Kramat and former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He has often claimed of having promoted democracy, independent judiciary and freedom of press in the country. His” love” for “freedom of judiciary, reminds us of the attack by his cronies and goons on the Supreme Court in1997-98, where his case of misconduct was being heard .He repeatedly acted against the spirit of democracy by enacting oppressive laws like, “Ehtisab Accountability Law” and “Anti terrorism Act”. He curbed press freedom by promulgating “Registration of Printing Press and Publication Ordinance 1977” Foreign Currency Accounts were frozen which drastically undermined the domestic and foreigners’ confidence and led to withdrawal of 13 billion dollars from the FACS, in no time. All economic, social and security parameters had been relegated to their worst ever position.
As regards his personal qualities, those who know him from close quarters would affirm that as a person, he is honest, straightforward, tolerant and humble. As a ruler, he has exhibited sterling qualities such as, statesmanship, courage, patriotism and incorruptibility. This explains why he has accomplished so much in so little a time. In common parlance, he is called a dictator, yet viewed in the light of his ways of working and behaving, he is far more democratic than most of his so-called democratic adversaries. In fact, it is his democratic policies that have made him unpopular. For instance, he granted un-fettered freedom to the media but media used its new-found freedom in making Musharraf its foremost target. He is he is the only dictator, who has fulfilled the promises he made; shedding of uniform, lifting of emergency, holding of free and fair elections and unconditionally accepting results of the elections. At present, he is the only living Pakistani leader known the World-over and is held in high esteem. He speaks in unequivocal terms with conviction.
ISLAMABAD: Former president Pervez Musharraf, who will be embarking on a 40-day visit to the United States on September 14, will meet US President Barack Obama in the third week of October, during his US lecture tour, his lawyer said on Tuesday.