On the 18th August President Pervez Musharraf resigned from the top position after nearly 9 years at the helm. In a televised address to the nation Musharraf explained “After consultations with legal advisers and close political supporters and on their advice, I’m taking the decision of resigning,” Who Musharraf has left as his allies is another debate however; until he confirmed his resignation towards the end of his speech, much of his defiant speech was spent denying that any of the impeachment charges against him could stand. Musharraf defended his time in power outlining how he saved the nation from bankruptcy and how Pakistan he thought had progressed economically.
There should be no doubt that Musharraf’s resignation was not his choice; he has held onto power for over 8 years by hook and crook. There are many lessons the Ummah should learn from the Musharraf saga. Muslims rulers throughout the last 60 years have defended their record when the end was near. With Musharraf there are a number of issues that need understanding, with many in Pakistan not understanding the wider politics and implications of Musharraf’s policy positions.
October 1999 coup
When General Musharraf came to power, Pakistan was in a state of flux, with national debts hovering around $32 billion. The 1990’s had seen Pakistan swing between Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto. Neither had the nations interests’ at heart; rather both jostled for political control over the nation as well as it’s Treasury. The removal of Pakistani forces from the fighting lines in Kargil after much US pressure lost Nawaz Sharif much credibility. When General Musharraf removed him in October 1999 this was generally welcomed by all. It should be understood here for all the talk about Democracy and the national interests by both Sharif and Bhutto when they exclusively held power their track record clearly shows that both never had Pakistan’s interest at heart.
After toppling Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, Musharraf immediately suspended the constitution and placed himself as the President. He then began the process of consolidating his power by initially establishing links with the Pakistan Muslim League of Nawaz Sharif (PML-N) and the Pakistan Peoples Party of Benazir Bhutto (PPP) and formed a political party, the PML (Q) allied to him in order to serve his interests. He then went on to consolidate the power of the President and weakened the authority of the Prime Minister and finally, he institutionalized the role of the armed forces in Pakistan’s politics through the National Security Council.
After the Supreme Court rubber stamped Musharraf’s coup, Musharraf then took concrete steps to consolidate his power as President and COAS, thus occupying both posts simultaneously.
With the help of his secret service and by threatening the opposition, Musharraf continued the process of weaning away leaders from the PPP and PML (N) and gathering some independent politicians. During this period, Musharraf prevented both Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto from returning to Pakistan and participating in politics. Within a period of 2 years Musharraf had consolidated his position and held firm grip on the country – he had become a true dictator.
Unstinting support to the US
Musharraf managed to gain international political support after being initially shunned immediately after his coup. His support for the ‘War on Terror’ has been the crucial factor, continuously praised by the West even though domestically the Pakistani population were largely against such a move. Musharraf gave the US unstinting support, needing no convincing, the justification – again it was in the supreme interest of Pakistan. The perilous strategic and geopolitical position that Pakistan is in today is directly due to his policies. His slavish support of the US has resulted in the loss of billions to the economy through the war in Afghanistan; the unprecedented deployment of Pakistani soldiers to fight fellow Muslims in the tribal areas, the strengthening of Indian influence in Afghanistan and Kashmir together with the loss of autonomy with the establishment of US forces and FBI bases within Pakistan territory. Musharraf’s actions in regards to his support to the war on terror did nothing to counteract the common term of ‘Musharraf’ to describe the two leader’s common axis. However Musharraf did not end things there, he further, he supported the American attacks on the Pakistan tribal belt and actively seeked to please India by compromising over Kashmir.
Kashmir Betrayal
It was under General Musharraf that a complete u-turn took place on the 60 year struggle over Kashmir. In June 2003 visiting Camp David Musharraf explicitly announced that his visit had approved a road Map to solve the issue of Kashmir and added his readiness for concessions. In an interview to the reuters agency he said “We are for the United Nations Security Council resolution, whatever that stands for. However, now we have left that aside… We keep saying that if we want to resolve this issue both sides need to talk with each other with flexibility… coming beyond stated positions… coming and meeting half way somewhere.” General Pervez Musharraf 18th November 2003, Reuters. On the Indian channel, NDTV Interview On December 6th Dr. Prannay Roy, asked General Musharraf, “Finally in this solution, Pakistan is giving up its claim to Kashmir?” General Musharraf responded, “We both ought to be prepared to give up all that we have been saying.”
General Musharraf’s obedience is unmatched in history from any Pakistani ruler, apart from conceding its nearly sixty-year policy on Kashmir Musharraf has worked actively to hasten the normalisation process between the two countries. Concessions included Pakistan abandoning the Kashmiri groups, dismantling militant camps and imprisoning leaders alongside reducing troops along the LOC and abandoning financial support for the Kashmiris. This has resulted in the number of attacks in Indian occupied Kashmir dropping to its lowest since 2001. Yet, India still insists that Pakistan is not doing enough to stop infiltration. But so far the Indians basking in the warmth of their relationship with America have refused to budge on the Kashmir issue. America has made it clear of its preference for India over Pakistan, as her principal agent in South Asia.
Economy
In his resignation speech Musharraf blamed the coalition for failed economic policies. In contrast, he took the credit for policies that brought prosperity to Pakistan for the last decade. The economy has been Musharraf’s number one strategy of proving the legitimacy of his legacy. Although under Musharraf the traditional economic indicators have improved this actually masks his failure to create any sustainable development. Although the situation prior to 1999 was worse this was primarily due to both Sharif and Bhutto caring very little for the national interest and being more intent on destroying the other and looting the nation. Under Musharraf the economy was driven by 3 sectors, the service industry, foreign direct investment (EDI) and privatization.
Key Pakistani assets were sold to the world under the guise of privatization. Pakistani industrial units, telecoms, utilities and land were the centerpiece of Musharraf’s revival of the economy. Whilst this resulted in a short term boom for the small richer elites, all this did however was leave Pakistan at the mercy of foreign companies hell bent on squeezing profits out of a Pakistani public, where 72% of the population live on less then £2 a day.
Musharraf was continually praised for deregulating its economy allowing foreign multinationals to invest in Pakistan taking advantage of its mineral resources. However when Musharraf claims that he made possible large foreign direct investment into the country, he doesn’t mention that FDI has come in the form of purchase of domestic cigarette manufacturing by America’s Altria group, or by an expansion in the presence of food and beverage companies such as Pepsi Cola and MacDonald’s.
The services sector was the driving force behind Musharraf’s so called economic success. It is now 54% of Pakistan’s economy but employs only 36% of the population. General Musharraf’s regime failed to develop the foundations of a modern, competitive, and productive economy and as a result its reliance has been on the services sector, real estate, and the stock market. The real productive sectors of the economy, both industry and agriculture have been completely ignored.
Conclusion
Musharraf’s legacy as the ruler of Pakistan will be marked by two things; betrayal and failure. His manifest support of America shows his open treachery. His policies were designed to serve US interests and history will leave the legacy Musharraf being the leader of Pakistan when it became the most indebted, he became leader in 1999 with external debt at $32 billion, by 2007, this figure had reached $42 billion, it was not foreign exchange reserves as Musharraf continued to argue that sustained Pakistan it was the continued borrowing to fund basic government functions that kept the nation afloat, under Musharraf no sustainable sources of revenue have been secured, in fact industry and agriculture which could have raised billions and been a stable source of revenue for the government were privatized.
In essence Pakistan is today exactly where it was 9 years ago. The country was teetering on bankruptcy, both Bhutto and Sharif were battling it in 1999 and over 66% of the population was living in poverty, today Nawaz Sharif the man by Musharraf is the opposition party head, 66% of the population continue to live in poverty, inflation is soaring and the economy is on the verge of collapse. Pakistan has done a full circle and ended up where it began on the eve of Musharraf’s coup.
Musharraf’s legacy is one of burdening Pakistan with massive debt, siphoning of Pakistan’s key state assets, giving up Pakistan’s strategic depth in Afghanistan and selling Kashmir. When Musharraf resigned Pakistan is being attacked almost daily by a foreign military, the US is threatening Pakistan despite almost a decade of political subservience, the military, once the only cherished institution of the nation is now despised and Zardari and Nawaz are back at the top of the political jungle. With the economy Musharraf’s legacy is one of leaving it on the brink of default once again, the m,ajority of Pakistani’s still work in the agricultural sector, key natural resources such as coal are being sold off to India and under Musharraf vices such as alcohol, nightclubs and deteriorating dress code in the shallow attempt to ‘modernise’ swept through Pakistan and after 9 years the nation still suffers from a lack of defined national purpose.
Musharraf’s legacy has brought to the forefront the possibility of provincial independence, Baluchistan since the creation of Pakistan has functioned on the basis of an independent province whilst the war on terror has resulted in calls for the NWFP to become puchtunistan.
The future looks bleak for Pakistan; the unification of both Sharif and Zardari in impeaching Musharraf has nothing to do with democracy or for the national interest. Both crooks have historically looted the nation and are unable to agree on any national policy on the economy which is teetering on the brink of collapse. It is very likely Zardari or someone pro-PPP will become president but with the PPP in a coalition government it is likely no key policy decisions can be taken due to the nature of such a set up. The PPP have already agreed to cooperate with the US led war on terror, continuing with Musharraf’s policy of America first.