Sat at a coffee shop in the
cultural capital of Pakistan, Lahore! Joined by intellectuals in conversation
with regards to the ongoing political situation in Pakistan, I was questioned
“Why do you support Pervez Musharraf? Are you mad? He is a dictator, he
supported the MQM, he bought Benazir and Nawaz back to Pakistan, he is the
reason for the problems in Balochistan and he is the reason for the terrorism in
Pakistan!”
I was astounded that such a person could make such a critique but in the essence
of free speech stated your eligible to your opinion and your question is valid
and replied.
I support Pervez Musharraf because he is the only leader in Pakistan who came
into power and implemented real change when change was needed, he is the only
leader in Pakistan who didn’t rely on corruption as a means to better his
families future, he is the only leader who maintained a stance of thinking for
Pakistan first continually, he is the only leader when questioned why he did
something will reply with a reasonable response of why he did what he did and
also what he aimed to achieve from it, he is also the leader who can admit when
he has done wrong and he is also the leader who has continually given logical
and reasonable solutions for the continual betterment of Pakistan.
He isn’t a dictator, although you and many others have termed him as being a
dictator, he isn’t! Maybe you say this because he was a member of the Pakistani
military as well as president of Pakistan! But a dictator? Far from it, in fact
if anything he was the one who liberated Pakistan from the poor to the rich! He
was the one that helped create jobs in Pakistan and bring a sense of financial
stability in Pakistan! Uplifting the middle and working class and minimising the
poverty in Pakistan. The media which so called democratic parties before him
preferred to keep government run, he liberated and gave them the freedom they
required to express themselves in as many ways they wanted to. He was the one
who selflessly pushed for a referendum in Pakistan in 2002 allocating powers to
democratically elected individuals and in a stance to minimise corruption pushed
for the local government elections empowering Pakistan from the villages up!
He bought in reforms to change the way in which we were governed to adjust to
the changes that Pakistan had gone through! Look at the policing ordinance from
the 1800s that he replaced in 2002 with a new up to date policing ordinance one
which didn’t abide by a master slave relationship (the 2002 ordinance was
removed by the PPP government in 2008 and reverted back to the 1800s ordinance).
Insitutions to monitor standards and prevent corruption and wrongdoings were
implemented across major industries including PEMRA, OGRA, NEPRA and NAB!
His support for the MQM has been in huge question recently due to the
controversial ways in which some members of the MQM have conducted themselves
recently! But do people forget that the MQM has a stronghold and major
stronghold in urban Sindh (namely in Karachi) even recent bi-elections in
Azizabad, Karachi have maintained a stance that the people of majority of the
areas in Karachi are loyal to the MQM. Even more it was the people of Karachi
and other areas in Sindh who voted for the MQM in the 2002 referendum and
instead of fighting against the choice of the people Pervez Musharraf worked
with the MQM for a peaceful and developing Karachi! Mustapha Kamal who was
awarded for his efforts as mayor in Karachi hailed from the MQM. In the early
days of his tenure Pervez Musharraf worked with the local government in Karachi
to get rid of 13 no go areas! And as far as supporting the MQM have people
forgotten the recent support that the MQM has received from the PPP!
Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif have been bought back by the people that voted
them not Pervez Musharraf, the cases that were removed by the NRO was to
maintain a stance of credibility for the government! The judiciary was on a role
to clear the convicted Zardari and Benazir! It was the judiciary that was
quickly clearing the cases stacked up against the two and at the time of the NRO
8 out of the 11 cases against Zardari and Benazir had been found innocent with
no wrong doings! The people of Pakistan voted for the two to return to power,
parliament was the body that voted Asif Ali Zardari as president! Benazir was
ineligible to contest elections though stubbornly still did, her death won the
PPP the elections!
With regards to Balochistan, near enough every year of Pervez Musharraf’s tenure
Balochistan received the highest amount of funds compared to any other province!
Developments including highways, educational institutions and even the Gwadar
port were instilled during Pervez Musharraf’s tenure!
As far as terrorism is concerned, this was a knock on effect of the war on
terror in Pakistan! Regardless of our alliance with America or not the effects
of terrorism overflowing into Pakistan was imminent and our alliance with
America stemmed from a mindset preventing America making an alliance with India!
Before people make assumptions against Pervez Musharraf look at the source you
are attaining the news from and then rethink your assumption and if you still
cannot make a conclusion then look objectively without a mindset approach!
Pervez Musharraf made mistakes during his tenure but the good he did for
Pakistan should be the legend that he is remembered by not by politicised media
trials stemming from ignorance. When he came into power he along with 16
technocrats put Pakistan in line as one of the next 11 global economies of the
world, this is an achievement seen as we was a near enough default state in
1999! Not mad but logical!