Musharraf Blames Pak’s Problems on Failed Leadership
BY PRAMOD KULKARNI
OCTOBER 16, 2009

HOUSTON: General Pervez Musharraf revealed his self in Houston by walking to the podium and executing a 180 degree salute to the audience. A military general to the core, Pervez Musharraf lectured the audience on blunders the West has committed in Afghanistan, defended his eight-year administration and decried the lack of leadership that he thinks has led to the current decline of the nation.

More than 700 members of the World Affairs Council and guests, including a large contingent of the local Pakistani-American community, attended the hour-and-half speech in the ballroom of the Omni Hotel on Woodway. The audience listened with rapt attention and often broke out in cheers and applause. One man in back even yelled out. “We love you.” Moved by the warm reception, Gen. Musharraf said, “I would have expected such a huge reception only if I was still the sitting President of Pakistan.”

Dignitaries among the audience included Councilman M.J. Khan, business leaders Ghulam Bombaywala and Moid Khan, and author Bapsi Sidhwa.

There was no love lost for the General, however, among 10-15 protestors who lined the left side of Woodway Avenue in front of the Omni Hotel. They were matched on the right side of the street by an equal number of the General’s supporters.

Listing a series of economic milestones which marked his administration, Musharraf said, “I am a firm believer that Pakistan is a country that has the resources and human capital to rise on its own with no assistance from anybody in the world. Our problems today are due to failed leadership.”

Musharraf began his speech by outlining the three blunders responsible for the West’s current failures. “The first blunder was failure to repatriate the 20 to 30,000 Jihadist fighters who had helped defeat the Russians.

These fighters were armed to their teeth and evolved into the al-Qaeda movement.

The second blunder was not recognizing the Taliban government by the Western nations, which could have had a moderating influence on the regime.

The third blunder was building a government with the minority Northern Alliance and ignoring the Pashtuns in the southeast, who make up the majority ethinc group in the nation.”

Speaking about what the U.S. should do about the Taliban movement in Pakistan, Musharraf advised, “Don’t get into micromanaging how to do it because we know how to do it better than you.”

Musharraf expressed his opinions on the India-Pakistan relations as well. “We must solve the Kashmir problem. There are only a few fleeting opportunities for peace. We must seize these moments by coming to the negotiating table with no preconditions and in the spirit of give and take.”

In closing Musharraf urged the moderate elements of the Pakistan society to rise up against Jihad and suicide bombings. “Only the head of state or religion can launch a Jihad.

Furthermore, suicide is against the spirit of Islam. We must not let the extremists corrupt the minds of poor young men with false ideas about Jihad and gaining entry into heaven.”

The next speaker at the World Affairs Council is former Secretary of State Condeleeza Rice.

For additional information, visit www.houstonworldaffairs.org.