Posted on 05/24/2002 1:30:42 PM PDT by AM2000
This interview is pretty long, and much of it will probably not be of interest to most people here.. so I'm posting what I consider to be the relevant pieces.. die-hard Musharraf watchers should click on the source link for the whole thing..
-AM2000
Interviewer: Hello, and welcome to HARDtalk Pakistan, coming to you from Islamabad, I'm Riz Khan.
Recently all eyes were turned to Pakistan as a referendum was held by the leader to validate his role as the head of the country. What's his perspective on what took place? General Pervez Musharraf, the President of Pakistan, is with me here.
Mr. President, good to have you with us.
General Musharraf: Thank you.
Interviewer: Let me start first actually with something quite topical, and that is the rising tensions with India, the increased shelling of the line of control and the trouble over Kashmir. At this stage what is the chance of all-out war breaking out?
General Musharraf: Well, one only hopes that it doesn't. Nobody - no sane person would like to go to war. But certainly the tensions are high, and it's dangerous because India has massed its troops on the border - army, navy as well as air force. So they have the capability of undertaking any adventurous act. So as long as that capability exists, the situation remains dangerous.
Interviewer: How far are you willing to take the fighting?
General Musharraf: Well if we are attacked, we'll certainly defend all the way, with all our might. We certainly would defend every inch of Pakistan.
Interviewer: What do you believe is behind the escalating tensions?
General Musharraf: Well, it started with the attack on the parliament, frankly. There was a terrorist attack on the Indian parliament, which - an act which we condemned because it was a terrorist attack, certainly. But I think - I personally feel that - er - the Indian government acted in great haste and rather in an irresponsible fashion that they, because of this terrorist act, they massed all their troops and raised the ante.
It started with that, and the troops were - are confronting each other. We reacted to it, of course, and all our army, navy, air force also got alert. Since then we are maintaining the highest alert. Now this act on Kaluchak - this attack on Kaluchak, the army camp, is again - I would first of all like to condemn this act, because it involved killing of civilians. Now there is no doubt in our mind, killing of civilians - in a bus or in a barracks, the families of military men - is condemnable, definitely.
Interviewer: At this stage, what chance is there of a diplomatic solution? What sort of intervention could take place?
General Musharraf: Well, we hope that the - first of all good sense prevails on both sides between India and Pakistan. Other than that, the United States is playing a role, and all that I would like to say is that - we, Pakistan, would like to co-operate certainly, because we don't want war. But let war not be thrust on us; then we'll defend.
Interviewer: Perhaps a difficult question to put to essentially a military man, but what if Pakistan was to take the stance of withdrawing its sort of heavy troop presence from the line of control? What would you expect to happen?
General Musharraf: Well, that may be quite dangerous, I would say, if we were to withdraw. I wouldn't - be able to do that unilaterally. We've taken so many unilateral actions which was reason enough to de-escalate, but that did not happen. But now if we withdraw, and suppose there is some adventurism on the other side, we won't be there on the borders at all; we'll lose territory, I think, and that wouldn't be acceptable.
Interviewer: But you have the United States on your side to some degree following September 11th, and Pakistan's co-operation. Surely now would be a very bad time for India to even consider this when the US has tried - has rebuilt its ally status with Pakistan somewhat?
General Musharraf: Well, that could be a reason all right. But as I said, mainly I believe in defending oneself. We will defend ourselves if we are attacked, against any aggression. We cannot bank on anybody else. But this restraint, yes, it can be a restraining factor all right, the US presence here in the region.
[...]
Interviewer: To what extent do you feel Pakistan has to adopt democracy according to a Western standard? What's the kind of pressure for that?
General Musharraf: Well - democracy has to be - in accord - has to be tailored in accordance with local environment in a particular country. There is no set piece rule on democracy; set piece formula for democracy. Democracy will be there; it is a parliamentary form of government that we are going to have. It is a Western democracy really, but we are going to tailor it to our own requirements really - the environment in Pakistan.
Interviewer: Does that mean more power for the President?
General Musharraf: No. I don't believe that at all. Now this word of - power is not really understood by everyone. What is power? What really do you mean by power. I'm a firm believer, being from the army, I'm a firm believer of unity of command. You can never have duplicity of command. I - the government will never function, no organisation - can function unless there is unity of command. So I'm a firm believer that power to govern, power to run the government, run the country, must be vested in the Prime Minister of Pakistan. But there has to be a check, a balance on him, on his performance. He is supposed to function well. He is supposed to function in a democratic manner, honestly, and that is what there is - there is a watchdog role required. So that is not power. The watchdog rule is not power. Power to function and run the government is the power. He will have that power.
[...]
Interviewer: How much do you have the military behind you if you decide to take a few strong steps here and there? How much do you feel you have total support?
General Musharraf: A total, absolute total support. I have never commanded - a formation where I was not popular or the formation was not behind me, all ranks.
Interviewer: Do you think that was the case with Afghanistan as well? ....
General Musharraf: Yes. The military is always with me. The military is behind me, I'm very sure of that.
Interviewer: Are you sure that the Taliban fleeing Afghanistan, ending up in Pakistan, to what extent do you feel you have done enough to secure Pakistan from any - resurgence of Taliban extremism, as the West sees it, or insurgency in Pakistan.
General Musharraf: We are - we are moving in a lot of directions. First of all we need to seal Pakistan from any outside influences. And that's what we are doing, specially on the western border. We want to seal the western border. We wouldn't like to allow any Al Qaeda renegades coming in to Pakistan, into our cities or into our border area. And we - we are launching an operation there.
[...]
Interviewer: How long ideally, being honest about it, how long would you like to remain in power?
General Musharraf: Well I can't really say that. I haven't decided on it at all. I - would like to do something for this country. I want to take this country forward, because it has all the potential. Now I was given a mandate of three years by the supreme court. In these three years we did whatever we have done. We have revived the economy, we have brought - introduced new, better governments into the country. And now we are going around for political restructuring.
Now in this after October now is the question. I want to consolidate democracy in Pakistan, and therefore I think, since the people also want me around, and which I know, therefore I certainly would like to see democracy consolidating, taking roots into Pakistan for the first tenure of the assembly, of the parliament.
Interviewer: You were saying you would do what it takes to do something good for the country. If there was a signal from the people of Pakistan that the thing that would help them move forward in their eyes is for you to step down, would you consider that?
General Musharraf: Yes, indeed. The moment - the moment I see that the people of Pakistan are not with me, I would like to quit.
Interviewer: President Musharraf, thank you very much for joining us.
General Musharraf: Thank you very much.
Same Riz Khan from CNN?
Still, it was an insightful interview, and I appreciate your posting of the link and story.
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