GREAT PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF IN LONDON

GREAT PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF IN LONDON, originally uploaded by www.first-pakistan.blogspot.com.

Musharraf was dressed as casual as my producer Erbil and I were. He was
wearing a burgundy sweater. The flat we met was very much secured. His
people were waiting for us at an agreed meeting point to take us to him.

Musharraf looked so much younger, trimmed, relaxed than I remember֠His
hairdo was too long. He came across as almost Bohemian֠We kissed each other.
Musharraf?polished politician? Or?the westernised leader?asked me about Amy
Winehouse. Realising that I am nursing my voice, I was immediately served a
hot tea with milk. We were discussing the last time we met, while he closed
the roads for me and made my presence in Pakistan very confidential. That
was not the case famously last time when I was in Pakistan as a guest of
Asif Ali Zardari֠So Musharraf?obviously asking with sarcasm: ?Daphne you are
so popular in Pakistan! When are you coming back to Pakistan??

DB: So where do you live right now?

PM: I still live in Rawalpindi. In the same house you came to interview me
and my wife. We are all there.

DB: Is this where you are going to live?

PM: No, no֠only until the construction on my house in Islamabad finishes.

DB: So what are you doing right now?

PM: I just finished reading my own book. I needed to reflect.

DB: Was your book successful?

PM: I don?t know if the book was successful. I think it was because of the
media, but I need to look at the numbers of the publishing house to know how
much they sold.

DB: While usually in the publishing world, you should be happy with the
advance you get֮ Are you writing a sequel?

PM: Yes, I am thinking to write another book. And?to go on the lecture
circuits.

DB: Did you start writing the book yet?

PM: Not yet. The whole situation in Pakistan got me and others in a state of
shock.

DB: Like hitting bottom!

PM: Yes, like hitting bottom. And I agree with you Daphne that after hitting
bottom?maybe better things would happen.

DB: Did you sort out your lecture circuits?

PM: Not yet֠I am going to start doing it. I am just looking for the right
timing and right representative for me.

DB: Do you feel secure in Pakistan right now?

PM: I would not leave Pakistan. It is my home. Am I safe there completely?
Of course not. If there are risks but it is not new for me to live with
risk. The Army is protecting me. But of course?everything is possible.

DB: Do you intend to stay in Pakistan?

PM: Of course! My son went back to California but I have a daughter who
lives in Karachi. She organises musical events. Pakistan is my country. The
country is in a very bad shape. I brought foreign investments. I built
roads. Nobody invests there anymore.

I am joking with Musharraf that unlike his predecessors, he is the first
ruler of Pakistan that has not been executed, put in jail or exiled.

PM: I know you are getting a lot of emails from people who would like to
have me back. You told me so! With the current situation in Pakistan it is
difficult for them to contact me. I care about my country and I hope you can
come and visit without streets being closed around you.

DB: You know Benazir was close to me, like a big sister.

PM: Yes֠I knew. I also understood what you were doing with your interview
with Sanam Bhutto, tribute with Bilawal and so on. You were helping Zardari
to win the elections!

DB: I thought I was helping democracy in Pakistan. That?s what Asif kept
telling meּbr>
PM: (Musharraf smiles) Well, you are getting lots of feedback from the
people of Pakistan. You just told me yourself even members of the PPP
(Bhutto?s party) are very disappointed (from Zardari?s conduct).

DB: The frustration conveyed to me, in all these emails, is because of the
declining economy and the escalating violence.

PM: This kind of violence has never happened during my time֠I made my mind
early on that I was going with America against terrorism. I have done
anything in my power to block terrorists and fundamentalists. There is only
one way to deal with terrorists?to fight them.

DB: Now, on top of it the mess with Indiaּbr>
PM: Well, you know if you don?t fight terror and make sure everybody knows
how strong you feel about it you may have problems with other countries like
America. And Yes?now the situation with India. This is what terror is all
about. By now?it has become a very complicated situation.

DB: You mean that if the current administration would have made it clear how
strong they are fighting against terrorism the tension between India and
Pakistan wouldn?t have occurred?

PM: (Nodding in agreement) you said itּbr>
DB: One of Zardari?s partners called me desperately recently that he is so
upset that he is suicidal and that he is losing his balance.

PM: You mean Zardari?s media partner? He may have lost his balance because
he may have drunk too much.

DB: Do you miss the good all days when you were in power?

PM: Not at all! I have found time to spend with my family and friends. But I
do care about Pakistan. It is obvious that I keep watching what is going on.

DB: Do you have any message to the people of Pakistan?

PM: Well֠you told me you were going to send me some of the many emails you
get from Pakistani people who are going through pains because of the current
situation. I would love to!

DB: Especially young people!

PM: Yeah, I would love to communicate with them. Please doּbr>
DB: Actually?many emails are very flattering to you, even some from PPP
members.

PM: Yeah?

DB: Many emails are relatively flattering to you. I even have emails from
PPP members who say that they never thought they will miss you, but they do.

PM: (Musharraf laughing) the problem is that the media in Pakistan always
shows negative images. I don?t watch TV too often, but whenever I do?they
show people beating each other, violence in the streets, what kind of image
does it give to Pakistan in the eyes of the world.

DB: Isn?t the media supposed to report news worthy events?

PM: Yes, but in a more balanced responsible way.

Towards the end, we mentioned few names of leaders. Musharraf says that he
still feels welcomed among them, not the loneliness which comes usually
after separation from power. For example?Turkey: ?Prime Minister Erdogan has
been a very close friend. He is my friend.? So a friendly Musharraf promises
to call me soon and returns to the fragile country he left behind.

--
Khurram Gardezi
( www.first-pakistan.blogspot.com )
( www.youtube.com/group/musharraf )

"nafsani khawahishat insani aqal ko zail kr deti hain(hazrat ali a.s)"

"save Pakistan by sending foreign exchange to home"!!!