Adil Najam
Just got hold of a list of major media appearances that Gen. Pervez Musharraf will be making as part of his book tour to promote In The Line of Fire: A Memoir. The book is publsihed by Simon and Schuster which will be handing much of the book tour, although it is clear that he will be asked about and will speak about much more than just the book.
(BTW, there is also a White House meeting with President Bush on Friday; so Gen. Musharraf will remain busy).
ATP had alreday written about the general’s appearance on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show, and we have a ccurrently ongoing ATP Poll on Grading Gen. Musharraf’s Performance in office. I am sure there will be other appearances too, but here is a list of the key ones.
Sept. 24: 60 Minutes
Sept. 25: NBC’s Today Show
Sept. 26: The Daily Show with Jon Stewart
Sept. 27: NPR’s Morning Edition
Oct. 1: NBC’s Meet The Press
Although there are always surprises, those familiar with the US media landscape would agree that one could express the toughest questions on Meet The Press with Tim Russert and The Dialy Show with Jon Stewart. The Today Show and Morning Edition appearances are more likely to focus on the ’softer’ and more personal questions. 60 Minutes can go eitehr way, depending on who is interviewing him, but is likely to be a mix of personal and political issues.
Also heard on the internet that the ghost writer for the book is Humayun Gauhar. I am not at all sure if this is true or not. If this is, in fact, true that would be something. Humayun Gauhar is another ‘PR maven’, and son of Ayub Khan’s media guru, Altaf Gauhar. Reportedly, Ayub Khan’s biography, Friends, Not Masters, was ghost-written by Altaf Gauhar.
If true, the coincidence and the connection would be just a little too perfect. Which is why I remain skeptical about the authenticity of this rumor. Readers, does anyone have a sense if this is true or not?
Video clips (in three parts) of Bush-Musharraf press conference at the White House on Sept. 22:
What was the point of posting that article? So, yes, Musharrafs visit was pricey. Did Mr. Hasan, whom I always suspected is a lover of BB and her ‘democratic’ PPP, go with Musharraf to all the meetings he had with investors and various groups where he was trying to promote Pakistans economy and asking them to invest, of which many have already said yes to? Investment in the billions is worth more the last time I checked than half a million dollars. Perhaps a simple course in logic and math would help.
Monday, October 30, 2006
Musharraf’s 18-day visit priciest ever
WASHINGTON: The 18-day visit of President Pervez Musharraf to the US and three other countries may have been one of the most expensive undertaken by any Pakistani head of state or government in the last 59 years. In New York, the president and his entourage stayed at the Roosevelt Hotel, which is far from being one of the city’s best, yet the bill for his delegation was over $500,000, according to a source with information. Twenty-eight limousines plus two vans were hired for the delegation which cost the Pakistani taxpayer $375,000. While some limousines were placed on duty round the clock, others were hired for 10-hour shifts. Figures for the president’s two visits to Washington are not known. On the first leg, the entire delegation – barring some members of the official media – stayed at one of the district’s most expensive hotels, the Four Seasons, where a single room can cost $500 or more. The PIA aircraft carrying the president remained parked in New York and for a couple of days at Washington. The president also toured Texas for a physical check-up. In calculating costs, what will need to be taken into account, first, is how much revenue PIA lost by the 18-day loss of one of its passenger aircraft. To that figure should be added airport parking charges and fuel costs wherever he travelled. Some members of the delegation travelled from Pakistan and returned there by commercial flights. He also visited Belgium, Cuba and the UK but the costs of those visits are not known. khalid hasan
Daily Times
It seems that someone has placed the ENTIRE book by Gen. Musharraf - In The Line of Fire - for free download in PDF format on the Internet. I am not sure how long teh downloadable version will be there, but in case you want to you can download it at: http://www.4shared.com/file/4569219/1e616d26/in_th e_line_of_fire.html
Does anyone know what the price of the urdu version of the book will be in Pakistan?
Update for those who may be interested.
1) The Urdu version of Gen. Musharraf’s book is expected to hit bookstands on October 21. The Urdu title is ‘Sub se pehlay Pakistan’ (i.e., ‘Pakistan First’) and it is published by Ferozsons Publishers.
2) Simon and Schuster is planning to bring out the 4th edition of the English version. Reportedly it has now sold over 70,000 copies. Some 28,000 in India and Pakistan.
speaking of ‘line of fire’, thre is this supposed coup plot on Musharraf by Air Force Officers recently.. and teh rockets they found… at least his critics are saying it may be staged …
Suleman, in looking for the original source, I found the following:
(a) A report from Rahimullah Yusufzai of The News, who interviewed Ali Kuli Khan on this (here).
(b) A report, also in The News, who reproduces Ali Kuli Khan’s statement (here).
The link to Ali Quli Khan letter here