Opening remarks while launching his book at theCouncil on Foreign Relations,New York, NY
I have been on the job writing this book over the last over two years. Initially I thought this to be a colossal task. I really wondered whether I would ever be able to complete it. And also because this task was rendered extremely difficult, I was not at all maintaining any daily journal or record of what I was doing. And every day there were events. Every day there was a busy day. And, as they say, there was never a dull moment in my life, especially beyond ‘99.
But I will also, other than not maintaining any diary, personal diary, I had official obligations; and, therefore, I didn’t have much time to devote to writing this book. So, therefore, I really wondered how I would be able to undertake this task, which many people were advising me—and most of the people, in fact, were against my writing this book at this moment. But, like a good military leader, I took the decision against major part of their advice, maximum advice, and I went in favor of writing at this moment. And I’ll tell you why.
I started writing—they say a journey of a thousand miles always start with the first step.And then one has to persevere I took that first step, and I’m very proud of the fact that I have come to the end of the road. I am proud of the fact that today is the launching ceremony of this book which I started so many years back. I had to persevere, and I did. And therefore I am now here standing in front of you to introduce my book to you.
I would now like to give you a glimpse of what this book is all about. Ladies and gentlemen, my autobiography is a window into contemporary Pakistan and my personal role in shaping it. I have lived a passionate life, perhaps impetuously in my early years, but always focused on self-improvement and the betterment of my country.
I have been chastised by associates for being forthright and overly candid, and this is reflected, I think, even in my writing style. I have not shied away from treating sensitive issues—in some cases extremely sensitive issues—circumscribed only by the interests of national and international security. But I kept that I think to a minimum.
I decided to write my autobiography after my place on the world stage I thought evoked a curiosity about me and the country I lead, Pakistan. I want to tell my story and that of one of the world’s most important Muslim states. It is a nation of many parts: rural and urban, rich and poor, highly educated and illiterate. It is a nation of 160 million people with several different languages, where moderation collides with fanatical extremism and where Westernization squares off against the conservative traditional culture.
Governing Pakistan was labeled by some as one of the most difficult jobs in the world. September 11th, 2001, multiplied these trials many times over, amplifying domestic issues and reshaping our international relations at a time when Pakistan was at the center of a global storm. I want the world to know the truth.
My life and my career had prepared me well for the challenges that lay ahead. But I knew little about governing a state or running an economy. I focused on sketching a national reform agenda and gathered a credible group of professionals to guide me towards an economic turnaround, first of all. Through a process of brutally and very honestly confronting reality and facts on ground, we were able to come up with very homegrown solutions to address the malaise that the economy of Pakistan faced.
Having put the economy on an upsurge now, my undivided attention is focused on transferring the macroeconomic gains to the people of Pakistan. This involves poverty alleviation, job creation, improving the quality of life of ordinary people, the provision of basic utilities such as safe drinking water, electricity and gas, and uplifting the quality of our human resource through health and education.
I am a strong believer in the essence of democracy in the form of freedom of thought, information and action, and not just the facade of democracy through elections. For too long our so-called democratic governments have been rife with corruption and have been trampling on civil liberties. It may be ironic that I being a soldier and a man in uniform am saying all this, but these are what I believe to be facts—were the facts in Pakistan which needed to be corrected.
My endeavor is to put democracy on a sustainable path relevant to Pakistan’s environment and the ethos of the people of Pakistan. Elections were held on time in accordance with the Supreme Court’s verdict, and power to govern handed over to a civilian elected government. We laid the seeds of grassroots democracy through a devolution of power, through local government, empowering local mayors to focus on citizens’ needs, empowering the marginalized segments of society—that is, the poor, the women, and the minorities—has been my single-minded focus. The poor for the first time have been empowered through political representation at the local government level. Women in particular had been hugely empowered through induction at every pillar of government. Women are also being economically strengthened through equally opportunity and being provided space in society through mainstreaming them into the national fabric. I find strength in this direction, in the founder of Pakistan, Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s vision.
On 11 August 1947, the founder of Pakistan clearly enunciated, and I quote,
"You are free. You are free to go to your temples. You are free to go to your mosques, or to any other place of worship in this state of Pakistan. You may belong to any religion or caste or creed. That has nothing to do with the business of the state."
Regarding women’s emancipation, the founder of Pakistan had categorically said, and I quote again:
"Tell your girls I’m a progressive Muslim leader. I therefore take my sister along with me to backward areas like Baluchistan and North-West Frontier Province. And she also attends the sessions of All India Muslim League and other public meetings. Pakistan will be a progressive country in the building of which women will be seen working shoulder to shoulder with men in every department of life."
unquote.
Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve done something quite unprecedented in the history of Pakistan. I have treaded on a path which no leader had previously dared to go. I have actually liberated the media. From one state owned and operated TV channel in 1999, today there are 43 privately owned and independently operated TV channels, and there are more in the pipeline. Multiple radio stations have also emerged. Civil discourse has taken a quantum leap through open discussion on the air waves on issues related to state and society. This evolutionary process was certainly not easy—all that I’ve said—the going was extremely difficult. But I remained steadfast in my resolve throughout what were very troubling times for our country and the region at large. Nine-eleven changed the world, and in particular cast its shadow on Pakistan. From being the front-line state in the war against communism 20 years ago, we were once again a front-line state—this time in the war against terrorism.
Al Qaeda shifted base from Afghanistan to Pakistan, and we had to fight them not only in our cities but also in the mountains of our tribal agencies. We broke the al Qaeda network’s back in Pakistan, and they now remain only a small disparate group operating in our tribal agencies—in a few of our tribal agencies. The cities have been cleared, but the fight still continues in the mountains. We have identified the problem of terrorism and extremism in all its dimensions, and are combatting it through a comprehensive all-encompassing strategy. As if all this was not enough, I was hit with a nuclear proliferation scandal of epic proportion. The misdeeds of an individual created an enormous distraction and threatened to undo what I was trying to achieve in our rural areas.
I walked a very tight rope in balancing domestic perceptions and satisfying international concerns. There is much work that remains to be done, and consolidating our progressive reform efforts will be work enough for any government. But we are faced with several international crises as well.
Our nation plays a key role in the evolving story of the 21 st century. What happens in Pakistan—socially, politically and economically—in the coming years will not only help decide the outcome of the global war on terror, but will also shape what the future will look like for both Islam and the West. It is a future I am determined to see peaceful and prosperous—not just for Pakistan, but for the entire international community. That vision is only possible if the Muslim world and the West, led by the United States, strive together towards resolving issues that confront us today.
In my five years at the helm of Pakistan, I have met all the world’s important leaders. These encounters have refined my sense of the world’s geostrategic reality and crystallized by views and understandings of key international issues.
One practical result of these meeting is what I call a strategy of enlightened moderation, which I hope will help usher a new age of world harmony. It is a two-pronged plan. In the first prong, the Muslim world must reject extremism and work towards social and economic reform. The second part requires that the West, and the United States in particular, resolve political disputes in the Muslim world justly. The path of enlightened moderation was unanimously endorsed by the Organization of Islamic Conference and captured the rest of the world’s imagination. With it I successfully managed to put Pakistan on the world stage with an image befitting its true nature as I see it. I have a vision for my country. This vision has all the human resources and the potential to become formed into a progressive moderate, prosperous Islamic state—and thrive.
Pakistan, with its close relations with the entire spectrum of the Muslim nations, and its historical cordial relations with the West, is an ideal bridge to bring harmony within the Muslim world and between the West and the Muslim world.
The geostrategic location of Pakistan at the center of the Middle East, Central Asia, western China and South Asia makes the country an ideal hub for facilitating—create an energy between these regions.
I strongly believe Pakistan can serve as a model for socioeconomic emancipation of the Muslim world, and also in making the world at large a better and safer place to live in for our future generations.
Ladies and Gentlemen, in completing this book, the feedback—the feedback from my wife Sehba, my son Bilal, my relatives Huma and Hidayat Chishti,Aftab and Shabnum Siddique were most helpful in the articulation of my thoughts. My personal thanks are also due to Humayon Ghauhar and Bruce Nichols for their editing contributions, and also to Chris Calhoun, my agent who guided me and advised me all through very effectively.
Most of all, I would be remiss if I did not express my very special gratitude to my aide, Brigadier Asim Bajwa for his painstaking and laborious efforts of both recording my thoughts and then transcribing them. Without his efficiency and devotion to me, the arduous task of completing the book would have been difficult to achieve.
My autobiography is my contribution to the story of our era. It is also of course my own story, a life where I look back and see the contours of an eventful, turbulent past with both luck and destiny playing very leading roles.
Therefore, ladies and gentlemen, by launching my book I dedicate this book to the people of Pakistan, those who toil, sacrifice and pray for their country and wait patiently for a better future. They deserve a commitment, selfless leadership which can help them realize their very boundless potentials.
And also to my mother, whose unwavering faith in me has been the driving force in my life. Her unconditional love and prayers remain my unlimited source of strength. Thank you very much, ladies and gentlemen.
I’m open to any questions.
