Musharraf, The Reformer That Never Was: A Soldier Remembers

I knew him close enough to intervene and tell him what he was doing wrong.

The day he took over, he was obsessed with devolution and being his staff, I had to remind him and lecture that devolution and local self government were two different things. He kept vacillating between the two. His DGMO did not understand nor help either.

I protested that Seven Points Agenda was Utopian and beyond reach. He felt he could power through all difficulties and achieve the impossible.

I told him that we were a declared nuclear state and ought to manifest very responsible international behavior as also get Kargil off our backs. He was and remained a jingoist to the last.

I was most vocal of the rising tide of militancy. Perhaps he still does not realize the damage it caused to Pakistan.

In a noting on 13 October 1999, I told him to be aware of Fly by Night Reformers as they would lead him off course. He entertained all of them with Shaukat Aziz in command.

I was weary of the CBR plans for Tax Reforms ( Value addition through Sales Tax). Shaukat Aziz launched a strong protest for my removal. I told both the DGMO and CGS that Pakistan was economically doomed.

I noted that the biggest test of his sincerity would be his honorable retirement on the due date. He underlined it.

I warned in a note against the hazards of pro military political groupings. He went and made PMLQ.