Adil Najam
In a nationally televised speech, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan, has just announced his resignation, pre-empting a move to impeach him by the parliament.
This post has been updated to add news photos from this momentous day in Pakistan’s political history. The pictures speak eloquently of the moods and thoughts of the day. (Scroll down to see the video of Gen. Musharraf’s resignation speech).
Participate in a poll on what might be Pakistan’s future post-Musharraf, here.
Here is a Pervez Musharraf time-line, published in The News:
August 1943: Born in Delhi, India
1964: Joins Pakistani army.
1998: Becomes army chief of staff.
October 1999: Seizes power in a bloodless military coup, overthrowing the prime minister, Nawaz Sharif. In response, the Commonwealth suspends Pakistan’s membership.
June 20 2001: Makes himself president, replacing Rafiq Tarar, while remaining head of the army. Tarar is forced out of office when the parliament that elected him is dissolved.
July 2001: Holds first meeting with the Indian prime minister, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, at Agra in India. No progress is made because of differences over the disputed territory of Kashmir.
September 2001: George Bush courts Musharraf, asking him to join him in his “war on terror” and help defeat the Taliban in neighbouring Afghanistan. The US president promises Pakistan $1bn in aid.
April 2002: Wins a referendum giving him another five years in office. Observers criticise the referendum as blighted by irregularities.
May 2002: Pakistan test fires three medium-range surface-to-surface missiles capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Musharraf insists his country would not be the one to initiate war.
August 2002: Consolidates his power still further, giving himself the right to dismiss an elected parliament.
October 2002: Pakistan’s first general election since Musharraf seized power in 1999 results in a hung parliament.
November 2002: Mir Zafarullah Jamali becomes the first civilian prime minister since 1999. He is a member of a Musharraf-supporting party.
November 2003: Pakistan’s National Assembly meets for the first time since 1999.
December 2003: Musharraf promises to step down as head of the army by January 2005.
May 2004: Pakistan is readmitted to the Commonwealth.
December 2004: Musharraf announces he will stay on as head of the army.
August 2005: Pakistan tests its first nuclear-capable cruise missile.
March 2007: Musharraf suspends the chief justice, Iftakar Mohammed Chaudhry, triggering a wave of anger across the country and the first joint protests held by the parties of exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif.
October 2007: Signs a corruption amnesty, opening the way for Bhutto’s return and a possible power-sharing agreement. Within hours of Bhutto’s arrival back in the country, bombers attack a Bhutto rally in Karachi, killing more than 100 people.
November 2007: Declares a state of emergency, rounding up opposition leaders at gunpoint. In the same month, Musharraf quits as head of the army, becoming a civilian president.
December 15 2007: Lifts state of emergency and announces plans to go ahead with parliamentary elections scheduled for January 8.
December 27 2007: Benazir Bhutto is assassinated at an election rally in Rawalpindi.
January 2008: Elections postponed until February 18.
February 2008: The two main opposition parties gain a clear majority in the elections.
August 2008: The two main parties strike a deal to impeach Musharraf if parliament backs the move.
August 18 2008: Musharraf announces his resignation
The uncertainty has ended. Good for Pakistan!!
No doubt he was ‘sincere’ and ‘patriotic’ but I have found all previous Pakistani leaders as ‘sincere’ and ‘patriotic’–the Army ensures the at least ‘patriotic’ part in Pakistan’s leaders. So let’s not play that cliche here.
Musharraf has been a ‘has been’ since the Feb. 2008 elections. What moral, let alone legal authority he could have after the elections to determine major policies for Pakistan? On the contrary, his very presence was an offence to the 2nd largest political party in Pakistan (PMLN) whose leader really wanted to avenge himself. The new govt. has been constantly blackmailed over either the Judges’ Restoration Movement or to put Musharraf in place.
Add to the political certainty the equally menacing legacy of Musharraf like the terrorist attacks in Pakistan and the global economic downturn. If KSE has shed points it is NOT because of any economic policies of the new govt. KSE can and will bounce back. Let the civilian leadership finally settle down. But let there be no ill-treatment of Musharraf either: Let him ‘fade away’ into Turkey or KSA or any place he may be safe.
And let Pakistan move on. Better trust the judgements of millions of ‘Jahil Awam’ then the judgements of an autocrat. There is no other way forward for Pakistan. Democracy is not only the ‘best revenge’ but is also the best reward.
Celebrate today. For tomorrow may bring what it may bring but today, to me at least, Pakistan is moving on.
today is a day of sadness. Cruption has once again won and the battle of a man that live for Pakistan and the People of Pakistan has left. One time will tell where this all will lead.
I only pray that Our President Mr. Musharraf will be taken care of and that no harm comes onto him.
I am seriously tired of telling you people against him to see what these new leaders are going to do, they rob us before and they are going to do it again.
This is truly a sad day.
LONG LIVE MUSHARRAF!!!!!
Trail for dictator is only way forward for Pakistan otherwise time and again fauji Dictator will come & ruin Pakistan..at least for a once do this for the sake of Pakistan scandal of Dr Afia selling to US is enough to hang him.
Crimes he committed in uncountable .
Qasim:
The impeachment would have only prolonged the inevitable, that he did not have the numbers in Parliament no matter how he defended himself against the charges. The impeachment would also have created fissures between organs of state.
Dont forget this man fought wars for Pakistan and then took on warlords and terrorists inside the country. Please respect him for that.
Our so called free media.
Free media in corrupt country?
Media is already breaking conversation to show Zardari house. This media will be under fear of their kids getting home safe now. We will see this free media will freely support criminals.