Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf is the former President of Pakistan, resigning August 11, 2008 after impeachment threats were used by the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Pakistan Muslim League. He began leading the country as Chief Executive in October 1999, after removing then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.
George W. Bush greets Pervez Musharraf in Washington
Musharraf was born August 11, 1943 in Delhi to a family of well educated civil servants. He entered the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961, serving in the artillery regiment three years later. Throughout the Indo-Pakistani wars of 1965 and 1971, he was promoted to the rank of captain Musharraf remained a soldier for the next two decades.
By 1998 Musharraf was promoted to Army Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Kargil War that took place during the summer of 1999 had heavy casualties that could have been avoided; Sharif blamed Musharraf for this loss, but Musharraf told another story- one where Sharif kept Pakistan’s troops in Kashmir because of pressure from the United States.
Musharraf had generally high approval ratings in the West throughout his years as President, despite assassination attempts and other thwarts at the legitimacy of his power. He cleaned up the image of his government as well as boosting the economy up nearly $100 billion in his 9 years in office. One of his major pieces of legislation was The Protection of Women Bill in 2006, giving Pakistani women legal recourse if they were raped or victimized.
After his forced resignation, Musharraf has seen some restoration of his popularity. He currently has plans to return to politics, and gives keynote speeches to those who can afford the $200,000 price tag.