Subject: Fw: Political landscape in Pakistan-----The Musharraf Option
From: "Raza Bokhari" <[email-masked]>
To: "Raza Bokhari\(bbbric\)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 23:46:38 +0000

Raza Bokhari
Managing Partner
Building Beyond BRIC Investment Fund, LP
1717 Arch St Suite 3820
Philadelphia, Pa 19103
Tel: 1-888-256-0314
Tel: 215-825-8921
Cell: 610-329-3839
Fax: 215-825-8928

-----Original Message-----
From: "Raza Bokhari" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sun, 30 May 2010 17:26:19 
To: <[email-masked]>; <[email-masked]>
Subject: Political landscape in Pakistan-----The Musharraf Option

Political landscape in Pakistan-----The Musharraf Option

Raza Bokhari*

The month of May has been rather busy; we have experienced the largest oil
spill in US history;  Congress has passed a landmark financial reform
package and has moved one step closer to repealing the long standing "don't
ask don't tell policy" for gays and lesbians serving in US military; the law
enforcement agencies were able to apprehend Faisal Shahzad, a radicalized
Pakistani American who planned the failed NYC time square bombing and
Pakistan banned access to Facebook to protest against "Draw Mohammed Day" on
the social networking website. In addition to this, appearing on CNN Wolf
Blitzer Situation Room, the former secular Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf, who had resigned in 2008, declared his intention to seek again
highest public office in Pakistan in the next general election.

This declaration of Pervez Musharraf holds a special significance in the
fast changing geo-political environment in South Asia, particularly in
Afghanistan and Pakistan and poses a direct relevance to US national
security interest in the region. The current coalition government of
moderate forces led by President Zardari has unfortunately failed to bring
relief to average Pakistanis and is unlikely to form the government in the
next election. In the absence of a credible moderate option, it is possible
that a coalition of religious parties led by Mr. Nawaz Sharif would take
control in Pakistan. This would be very detrimental with negative global
consequences; Mr. Sharif has led the country twice before in the 90' and had
miserably failed so much so that in 1999 Pakistan was nearly declared a
failed state. During his two terms in office, Mr. Sharif was at odds with
the all powerful Pakistan Military, was violently confrontational with the
Judiciary and had widened the ethnic tensions to a point of implosion in the
port city of Karachi.  Nawaz Sharif is dubbed as a "closet Taliban" and his
friends and advisors include Taliban sympathizers like GeneralR Mirza Aslam
Beg, the former chief of Pakistan Army (1988-1991) Lt. GeneralR Hamid Gul,
the former Director General of ISI (1987-1989) and ColonelR Imam, who is
well known Holy warrior and Taliban trainer.

Pervez Musharraf continues to maintain credible standing on the world stage,
especially in China, India, Gulf countries and Saudi Arabia. He has
widespread support in Pakistani Diaspora around the world, especially in
United States and United Kingdom, who are investing their own time and
treasury to help him return to public office. Since the beginning of this
year, he has rekindled grass-roots support in Pakistan, which is rapidly
growing. In less than five months, his Facebook page has over 200,000 fans,
most of who are from Pakistan. Several dozen elected and electable
politicians from all over Pakistan are in regular communication with
Musharraf and have enthusiastically signaled their support to him when he
decides to formally launch his political party. 

Pervez Musharraf has a proven track record of a reliable partner in fighting
extremism and terrorism; during his previous rule in Pakistan, he promoted
enlightened moderation, empowered women, catalyzed economic growth, unlocked
freedom of expression, made strides to foster permanent peace in South Asia,
and tried to build consensus in the Middle East.

With respect to building lasting peace in South Asia, Indian Prime Minister
Manmohan Singh of India has publicly acknowledged that he and Pervez
Musharraf were very close to resolving the three major disputes between
India and Pakistan; Siachin, Sir Creek and Kashmir.

In terms of building consensus in the Middle East, Pervez Musharraf in
2004-05, when he was at the height of his popularity both in Pakistan and
around the world, initiated an indigenous effort to establish dialogue with
Israel by instructing his diplomatic missions around the world to begin
contact with their Israeli counterparts that eventually led to the first
formal meeting between Pakistani and Israeli Foreign Ministers in Turkey. To
further explore a common ground to help resolve the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, in 2005, he broke bread and addressed a joint gathering of various
prominent American Jewish organizations in New York City.

In Pervez Musharraf, President Obama, may find the much needed partner that
could not only help navigate a winning strategy to disrupt, dismantle and
defeat Al-Qaeda and Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan, but also assist
President Obama to enhance his outlook in the Muslim world and reverse his
rapidly dwindling support in the American Jewish community and Israel.

*Raza Bokhari is a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the Vice
Chairman of the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia, and is the Past
President of Pakistani American Public Action Committee (PAKPAC)

 

Raza Bokhari

Managing Partner

Building Beyond BRIC Investment Fund, LP

1717 Arch Street, Ste 3820

Philadelphia, PA 19103

Tel 888 256 0314 Fax 215 825 8928

cell: 610 329 3839