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:
“I am surprised that he left two Quaids out(Quaid-e-Azam and Quaid-e-Tehreek Altaf Hussain. Is it because he himself is a Muhajir or because he has his own ax to grind in Sind)…”
PatExpat, We know you are a PPP supporter who could not wait to see BB in power but I think you went on a stretch here by bringing in ethnicity in this way. This is a potential flamer and would only hurt this blog. ATP also did a poll that inculded BB and NS (your two guardians of democracy); please refer to that and see how many votes they received. To add to MQ’s post a close associate of Gandhi, I believe, once said that had congress had one Jinnah and Muslim League even a dozen Nehrus, pakistan’s existance would have been unlikely.
“… This does not mean that Quaid is not Father of the Nation.”
PatExpat,
Do not quite agree with your analogy. Were there no Jinnah on the scene it was extremely unlikely that Pakistan would have born.
It is not true for the “bum”.
Adil,
Have you noticed that the THE BOOK has already dropped out of the charts? It hasn’t been even a week since the book was launched and it is nowhere to be seen on the Bestsellers list of Amazon.com
MQ,
Pakistan did not come into being in nine months or nine years. The seeds were sown before Quaid was even born or joined Muslim League. There were other politicians, Iqbal’s vision, Aligarh educated Muslims, sacrifice of hundreds of thousands of ordinary muslims that led to the development of Pakistan. This does not mean that Quaid is not Father of the Nation.
From the many interviews, newspaper articles and books that I have read over the years, I have never read that A Q Khan describe himself as father of the bomb. Time and again I have read him giving credit to the extensive support received from Zulfi Bhutto, Zia ul Haq, other politicians, his team of dedicated scientists working in minimal conditions (I have myself heard these praises) and his trusted network of suppliers. But because of instrumental role played by AQ Khan, he has been bestowed a title of Father of the bomb. I don’t think in times of state media (PTV) only, he could have garnered that title without complete support of the government.
And unless the government comes out with proof that he has diverted resources for his well being and gives him a chance to defend himself, I will respect him for giving us the bomb. Why is it that AQKhan can’t defend his dignity because of national security and our president can tour all over the world spilling beans blurting out one half truth after another slinging mud at every civillian politician/ruler. I am surprised that he left two Quaids out(Quaid-e-Azam and Quaid-e-Tehreek Altaf Hussain. Is it because he himself is a Muhajir or because he has his own ax to grind in Sind).
It has been a while since I heard Mush uttering national security or national interest in his speech. Its like he has removed that word from his vocabulary just to promote his book.
[quote comment=”3650″]
“I agree that AQK acquired a lot of wealth and lived like lords,don’t you think that the person who has given Pakistan atomic power deserves certain previliges?” [/quote]
Hassaan Qureshi,
If all that wealth had been bestowed upon him by the state in recognition of his services or if he had acquired it legally and transparently through personal investments then I wouldn’t grudge or question his wealth or his lifestyle. But if that wealth was acquired illegally using his influence and position then that is illegal and immoral — actually a felony in legal terms — just as it would be illegal and immoral for a general or a judge to acquire that kind of wealth. It is doubly immoral in the case of AQK because he was treated as a hero by the nation, and heroes are not supposed to steal.
Another myth that we should get rid of is that he alone gave us the atomic power. In fact, this is a myth which AQK himself created. Atomic power is not something that one person can develop single handedly. First and foremost it requires political will and support and diverting of national resources to it. Those decisons were taken by the successive politicians. And then it requires scores of dedicated scientists, technologists and technicians. AQK happened to be one of those technologists except that he was equally, if not more, dedicated to his own person.