Rise and fall of Pervez Musharaf

It was a beautiful evening; I vividly recall on Oct. 12, 1999, in the city full of life, Karachi, Pakistan. I was sitting on a sofa enjoying my evening tea and English biscuits when national television PTV (Pakistan Television) went off the air unexpectedly.
 
The nation was very well aware of the tensions between Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and the Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Pervez Musharaf. Speculation and rumors about the arrest of Sharif or Musharaf quickly covered the sky as dark clouds.
 
It was the only topic of discussion in every home and neighborhood. Phone lines were jammed and in some areas disconnected, and cell phone services were interrupted. Everyone seemed to look anxious to know the real story. including myself, when the national television started broadcasting the national songs, an obvious sign of a military coup.
 
Some seemed pleased while others were furious. Once more, Pakistan fell under a military dictatorship. To validate the news General Musharaf made a public appearance on national television announcing a bloodless successful military coup.
 
Pakistan, a country born on Aug. 14, 1947 has lived more than half of her life under military dictatorships. From Field Marshal General Ayub Khan to General Pervez Musharaf, the country has often been dominated by army chiefs.
 
Musharaf quickly proclaimed himself as the chief executive of Pakistan and later, on June 20, 2001, appointed himself as president of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. He was in all reality the "Lord of the Land." Pakistan quickly shifted from a democratic to an autocratic state. The chief executive can appoint a president and the president can grant an extension of service to the chief of army staff , so technically he was all in all.
 
Musharaf in 1999 was a controversial personality in the world due to his actions and decisions on the Kargil War, a short bloody war fought between India and Pakistan, but luckily for him the events of Sept. 11, 2001 changed his image. His commitment to the war on terror made him the ally of America, thus strengthening and guaranteeing his power in Pakistan and the region.
 
During his 9 years as the leader of Pakistan, he made numerous decisions, some of which were in the interest of the nation, but most of which were for the sake of preserving his own power. Bad decisions hid his good ones, so in the end, Musharaf was left with no good on his plate.
 
Each bad decision by Musharaf caused his approval rating to drop further: the coup itself, twice suspending the constitution, the attack on the holy mosque (the Red Mosque) on July 10, 2007, and the sale of illegal extraditions of Pakistani citizens to Guantanamo Bay. These actions portrayed him as an American agent, and thus, for some fanatics, he became an Infidel.
 
The rise of Musharaf in 1999 was as glittering and bright as his downfall was ugly and dull. Even his closest and dearest allies, the American State Department, refused to provide him safe haven. He now will have to go back to the same palace in Saudi Arabia where he once sent Nawaz Sharif. I firmly believe what goes around comes around.
 
Musharaf finally resigned on the Aug. 18, via the same national television where he once proclaimed his power. I wish Pakistan good luck and wish we will not see another coup for years.


--
Waseem Chachar lives in Yuma.