Author

Author

Born in India, immigrated to Pakistan in 1947, settled in Karachi.

Military statesman, President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army.

Releases the book while in office, argues the book sell best when one is at the peak.

Organization

Beginning Life in the ArmyHijacking DramaRebuilding the NationThe War on Terror

Beginning:

“These were troubled times. These were momentous times. There was the light of freedom; there was the darkness of genocide. It was the dawn of hope; it was the twilight of empire. It was a tale of two countries in the making.”

The story throttles through his childhood leaving no rooms for memories that shaped his character.

However he pauses on several points to stress his anti Indian credentials. Eg Train to Pakistan, Embassy Promise.

Describes events in entirety where he admits to have little remembrance.

Beginning:

Depicts the hero in himself, who never backed off under any circumstances. “…..the lesson I learned was that if you call a bully’s bluff, he crumbles. The secret is to stand your ground for a few seconds, and your initial fright vanishes. This lesson later stood in good stead as a commando”

Emphasizes his family position and character.

Beginning:

Likes to portray himself as an athlete. “athletically I became a jack-of-all-trades,

competing in gymnastics, cross-country running, bodybuilding and athletics. I was fourth in cross country, was the top gymnast, and was third in the ‘Mr. FC college’ bodybuilding competition. All in all I earned the most certificates”,

pictures in the folio.Brags about his teenage romantic affairs.

Life in the army:

Portrays his excellence by reflecting the facts that he did well not only in the entrance exams but also underwent training successfully.

“I did well in the PMA and was one of the top cadets in my course, and one of the ten sword carriers.”

Tried to show himself as a born leader, by depicting on the facts that he was better and more capable than his peers.

Gives elaborate description of the wars he fought and the responsibilities he shouldered.

The conspiracy

PM Nawaz Sharif dismisses him and promotes Ziauddin as the new army chief.

Musharraf believes the reasons might be : PM wanted to have a more reliable general for

the next elections. PM thought that Pervez’s demotion would

please Indians and Americans( aftermath of Kargil)

PM feared a coup by Pervez himself.

Plane to Pakistan

October 12,1999, 6:45 P.M while arriving from Colombo he was denied permission to land in anywhere in Pakistan. “But lights at Karachi airport were shut off and 3

fire trucks were blocking the runway. It was evident the P.M. Nawab Sarif didn't want me to land in Pakistan”

At 7:30 in evening they got the message that they can land in Karachi. The army had taken control of the airport and had imposed house arrest on PM Sharif.

Plane to Pakistan

Gives a detailed minute to minute account of the event.

Poses himself as a calm commander under stress.

Views this as a plot to leave the military head of Pakistan in the hands of its biggest enemy (India).

Pakistan First

Views himself as a greater democrat than he is believed to be.

He believed that no nation can progress without democracy, but democracy had to be tailored according to the nation’s need and environment

Publicizes his efforts to revive democracy in his nation.

In the name of reforming the Pakistan’s democracy, Musharraf formed the National Security Council (NSC), a body that would be chaired by the President

Efforts

His goal was to reduce expenditures. He cut the budget, froze the defense budget and appointed able people to lead all government enterprises.

Soon the enterprises started giving profits. He decided to broaden the tax base. He gave importance to the blooming IT and

Telecom industries. As a result of all these reforms, Pakistan for the first

time in its history saw a downward turn in poverty and unemployment.

The War on Terror

One day that changed the worldOmar and OsamaMan Hunt (Bin Laden)Tightening the NooseThe Symbiosis of Terrorism and Religion

One day that changed the world(9/11)

America exerted a lot of pressure on Pakistan and Musharraf as Pakistan was the only country maintaining diplomatic relations with the Afghans and Bin Laden was suspected to be hiding in Afghanistan.

"In what has to be the most undiplomatic statement ever made, Armitage . . . told the director general not only that we had to decide whether we were with America or with the terrorists, but that if we chose the terrorists, then we should be prepared to be bombed back to the Stone Age.”

It conduced the feeling that this chapter was addressed towards the people of Pakistan who were agitated with his decision to support America.

Omar and Osama

Cites how Omar and Osama rose to power and the why Pakistan had to support Talibans because of Northern Alliance (supported by Russia, Iran, India)

The emphasis was on barbarism of Talibans under Omar and how Pakistan tried in vain to convince Omar to drive Osama out of Afghanistan.

Man Hunt (Al Qaeda Terrorists)

Details of the kidnapping of Daniel Pearl and how Omar sheikh who was involved in the kidnapping was caught and interrogated and finally how they tracked down Khalid sheikh Mohammad (Al Qaeda’s number three) the person who killed Daniel Pearl.

Details of some of 689 arrests of Al-Qaida suspects in Pakistan are listed and Pakistan’s efforts to catch Osama who according to Musharraf is moving back and forth across the Pakistan-Afghanistan border somewhere.

Tightening the Noose

Details on how he tracked down terrorists who attacked him, first attack was master minded by Amjad Faruqi and the second by Abu Faraj al-Libbi. Amjad was killed in an encounter and Libbi was arrested.

It was more like a story from a Detective novel containing nothing but the details of investigation.

The Symbiosis of Terrorism and Religion

“Had we not joined the jihad against soviets and had they

not pulled out of Afghanistan, would the cold war be over yet? We did what Napolean and Hitler could not do; we defeated Russia…” !!

“If you take Pakistan out of the picture, the jihad would never have been won. On the other hand, if you take the United State out, one never knows… ” !!

● This chapter emphasized on the need to eradicate religious extremism from Pakistan as all the terrorist organizations motivate innocent and illiterate people with extreme religious sentiments.

Organization

Priorities : “War on Terror” – 82 pages, Kargil chapter – 12 pages, though he was the chief architect in latter case.

Speaks about the trouble between India and Pakistan in 2002 but misses the attack on Indian Parliament in 2001 completely.

Organization

Contains a 16 page collection of photographs. The first three pages – Dec 2003 assassination

attempt. Self Depiction as a victim of terrorism. Shows clips to refute Nawaz sharif’s claim that

he wasn’t informed of the preparations for Kargil. Projects himself with the great leaders of the

world.

Focus and Development

The book is for two audience mainly western and domestic.

Says he saved Pakistan from disaster, and the world from more Taliban Al Quaeda attacks.

Tries to rationalize Pakistan’s capitulation to US pressure.

Stresses his anti Indian credentials.eg “Train to Pakistan”, “Indian promise”.

Comments

Facts are viewed in self delusion. Eg Kargil was no victory, Pakistan had to vacate territory losing men for nothing.

Progress in the bilateral dialogue "is owed considerably to the Kargil conflict."

Writes in a self complimentary manner.Tries to belittle peers