General Pervez Musharraf
Nishan-I-Imtiaz (Military),
Tamgha-i-Basalat,
President,
Islamic Republic of Pakistan
A Profile
During the three years of General Pervez Musharraf as the Chief Executive of Pakistan, the country saw more structural reforms than at any time in its history. Ranging from economic and social sector reforms to – administrative and political restructuring – improvements were carried out in almost every conceivable facet of national life. At the time he assumed office of the Chief Executive on 12th October 1999, the country was in deep economic and constitutional crisis. His administration’s remarkable achievement of pulling the, country out of the economic and political morass in a short span has been widely acknowledged. On the international front, Pakistan’s‘ image saw a major turnaround from the point where it faced diplomatic isolation.
General Pervez Musharraf was sworn in as the 11th President of Pakistan and concurrently held with it the office of Chief Executive till 23rd November, 2002: After fulfilling his commitment to the people of Pakistan to hold general elections in the country on 10th October 2002, he transferred the powers of Chief Executive to the newly elected Prime Minister. On restoration of Constitution, he was administered fresh oath of office of President on 31st October 2002.
President Musharraf, the second of three brothers, was born in Delhi on 11th August, 1943. He spent his early childhood in Ankara, Turkey, where his father was posted on a diplomatic assignment from 1949 to 1956. He was quick to pick up Turkish language during his stay and developed fluency in a very short time. Upon his return to Pakistan, he pursued his education at St. Patrick’s High School, Karachi. He was at Forman Christian College, Lahore, when he got the call to join the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961. From his college years, he has retained his keen interest in water sports such as canoeing and sailing. He also spends his leisure time playing squash, tennis and golf. An avid reader, General Musharraf is particularly well versed in military history-his favourite subject.
President Musharraf was commissioned in an artillery regiment in 1964. A graduate of Command and Staff College, Quetta, and the National Defence College, Rawalpindi, he, later in his career, returned to these internationally recognized premier military institutions to serve as a faculty member. He-also had the distinction to study at the Royal College of Defence Studies, United Kingdom.
From the very start of an illustrious military career, General Musharraf excelled in his assignments. He received official recognition for valour and bravery in action during the 1965 war. He was selected to serve in the elite Special Services Group (SSG) “Commandos” and participated in the 1971 war as a company commander in a commando battalion. On promotion to the rank of major general in January 1991, he was given the command of an infantry division and later of a prestigious strike corps as lieutenant general in 1995. He was promoted to the rank of General on 7th October, 1998 and appointed the Chief of Army Staff. He also held the additional charge of Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee from April, 1999 to October, 2001.
President Musharraf envisions Pakistan as a modern and moderate Islamic state. His bold initiatives to ensure Pakistan’s steady progression on the road to sustainable economic and social development have been internationally praised. He considers people of Pakistan as the most precious asset and, therefore, has always accorded special focus to human resource development in the country. A man who loves peace, he has shown his predisposition to dialogue over confrontation and finding just solutions to international disputes in accordance with UN resolutions.
He married Sehba Farid, on 27th December, 1968. They have two children, a son and a daughter, both now married and settled in their respective lives. General and Mrs. Musharraf are grandparents by virtue of their grand daughters, Maryam and Zainab, from daughter, Ayla.
