Musharraf reply in English

Ok. Thank you. Thank you very much. This guest's... The speech of our guest from Binori Town definitely prove one thing, that here, independence of views, transparency (exist)... None of the selection is such that they can't speak (that there is no censorship). This man in uniform (pointing to his khaki) has allowed this, whereas before now, it wasn't. You should know what would have been the future of someone who spoke in such a manner in the past. So, only this man in khakis has allowed you to speak freely and share your thoughts, but you must also have the ability to listen to others' opinions. The problem starts when you people do not have the ability to understand other people's views and refrain from doing what you... it was from your (madrassa) that... burned the office of "Business Recorder"... Those were graduates from the very same madrassa you came from that did that. Don't do this.

Fine? Now, we'll come to the issues. You talked about Islam. Islam is a tolerant religion. About Islam, we all... most of us sitting here are Muslims, obviously. There's no doubt about it. There is no need to emphasize it. That Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance. But just saying this isn't enough. If you look around, what is happening? Whatever is happening is 180 degrees opposite.

So, the world that is watching us understands that we say one thing and do another. "Islam is great (but only) in words". That's why Islam is gaining notoriety. We are damaging Islam's image in this very manner, through our very own religious centers, namely mosques and madrassa. Within these, we preach intolerance, hatred, sectarian hatred, violence. Not in all, but in some it is taught and spoken.

What will the other person perceive? Is this Islam? What they are saying? Or is this Islam, the good points that you have made? Doubt is created by this. The world is watching our actions. Actions speak louder than words. You can say it a thousand times what Islam means, but what the world sees is what you do. Are you showing it? What are you showing with your actions? You are showing the exact opposite of what Islam teaches and preaches. Unfortunately.

So we must make sure that our actions and our thinking are one. The teachings and the actions must represent the same. There are irregularities. Irregularities which, unfortunately, some of our religious organizations are spreading. That is a problem and we have to fix it.

Now we come to the second thing. You talked about army takeover and rule. Yes, who gave me power/governance? Nawaz Sharif showed me to it, I think. (applause) But the question is, from our independence... Ayub Khan came and declared martial law, then Yahya Khan came, then Zia-ul-Haq came, now it is I.

The question is... The question isn't who came and why. The question is who was right and who was wrong. This has been happening in the history of Pakistan. We have to analyze this and see why this has been happening. Why has this been happening? If we don't analyze this and fix this, this will keep on happening. In future, this will continue. What we have done, in my view, to the best of my ability, is analyze why this has been happening. Why has the military kept interfering? We analyzed this and have taken corrective actions. On a strategic level, we have taken corrective actions so that this doesn't happen again. This hasn't happened before.

And if we don't take these corrective actions, this system will continue. Unfortunately. This is why I think that the steps we have taken will prevent martial law and military takeovers in the future. I won't go into the detail as it will take a lot of time. So that is the issue. That military takeovers shouldn't occur and the military should not come into politics and governance. But just saying this isn't enough, that's what has always been happening. Corrective actions are required and we are taking them. And I'm hopeful that this won't happen again. This didn't happen before which is why, again and again, martial law was implemented.

Now we will come to poverty and unemployment. You talked about these. These statements have become a fashion. It has become a fashion to talk about poverty and unemployment. It is there, no doubt. Poverty level is 31% or 32%. The question is, how do you eradicate it? That is what we have to look at. And whatever we are doing, is it moving towards its reduction or not? I know that you have made a statement, but haven't surveyed anything. I know that whoever says this, has not done any survey. What is the state of employment and poverty in Pakistan? I want to tell you. The survey is being done and will be completed by June or July. Then I will tell it to you with facts and figures. But at this time, I want to tell you that both in poverty and unemployment, for the first time in the history of Pakistan, there has been a reduction.

Now, you want to know the rationale behind it? Why am I saying this? The survey hasn't been completed, but there have been partial surveys. I'm saying this on the basis of those. I'll tell you some facts.

Take unemployment. Today, all factories in Pakistan are running at 100% capacity. New factories.. I think the prime minister is going there in a couple of days.. four factories, three of them cement and one paper mill, are being established in Chakwal district alone. The manufacture of cars, which used to run in a single shift, is running in three shifts. The number of motorcycles being sold is 300% higher. They are being sold in the villages. In rural areas. The buyers are villagers. Go to any village. Whoever owned a bicycle, now owns a motorcycle.

The question is.. jobs are increasing... Look at construction. You won't find skilled labor. Everyone is (already) employed. Go into telecommunications. All these new telecom engineers... everyone (the telecom companies) is trying to pull them. They're not available. The people are not available (for hiring). Go to any industry, whether it is sports, surgical instruments, engineering sector, your whole industry, it is booming at the moment. And if the industry is running, people have jobs. The industry is running because people have jobs. Jobs... There has surely been a reduction in unemployment.

As for poverty, just your cotton, which is reaching 15 million bales, from that, 45 arab (4.5 billion) rupees are being injected into the rural economy. Your wheat crop, which will reach 22 million tonnes by God's will, is putting about 25 million rupees into the rural economy. Where will this 60 arab (6 billion) or 70 arab (7 billion) go? These will go to the farmers. Whoever is growing cotton or wheat. Who are they? They are the 70% of your population that is living there. It is their poverty and this money is going in their hands. The point is, we shouldn't keep saying these things without a survey or without an understanding.

Don't take me wrongly. I'm not saying poverty is no more. Poverty is present. Unemployment is there. But for the first time in the history of Pakistan, it is on decline. The exact percentages will be told in two to four months. They will be told to the whole nation. So we shouldn't be so pessimistic. We should be quite optimistic. We are on the right path. And according to a well thought out plan, our working is right and is running well. The country is running well.

You then talked about the Baloch people. I'm surprised about this as well. That you still don't have an understanding of this. No action is being taken against the Baloch people. If you listen to one sardar... Mr. Rind is sitting here (pointing towards someone in the audience), he is sitting very happily in front of me. And seated next to him is Mr. Mengal, he is also a sardar. There he is. You should know that there are 78 sardars here, out of which 75 have no problems. They are all in the government and taking action. Three sardars are talking, out of which one, from Dera Bugti, is causing mischief and he attacked and damaged Sui. Have you given him the right to speak on behalf of Pakistan or the whole Baloch nation? Have you given him the right?

Listen to me. Now that you have spoken, listen to me. If you haven't given him the right, I haven't either. Neither have the Baloch nation given him the right, nor have the people of Balochistan. In Balochistan, half the people are Pashtuns and half are Baloch. If you talk about the Baloch, I already told you, they're sitting here. So one person in Dera Bugti, whose population is not even a hundred thousand I think, if one person from there challenges the writ of the nation, should we speak against him or in his favor?

So in these matters, remove the confusion from your minds. And have a clear understanding of things. The clear understanding is that no state can last if the writ of the government is not enforced. If the writ of the government is challenged, that state can't last. Take an example of Afghanistan. What is the problem of Afghanistan? "Warlordism". Meaning that there is an individual who has his own army. Of thousands of people. They have all the weapons. And they're in power. Not one, dozens of warlords.

If warlords were to be allowed in Pakistan as well... There are tribal elders, like our elders, our companions sitting here. They are tribal leaders. Well and good. They take care of their tribes, work for their betterment. But if that same tribal leader, to his own tribe... From Bugti is the Kalpar tribe and the Masuri tribe. These they have exiled and had their children murdered. Do you know this? Do you know the Kalpar have been exiled from their own Sui areas and are dying (or suffering) in Dera Ghazi Khan and Multan? Do you know this? Who exiled them? Do you know?

So the point is, he who terrorizes his own people, tortures them, and secondly, maintain an army. An army of five thousand strong, roughly, about four, five, six thousand. An army with rocket launchers, mortars, who are being trained, is this how the country should be run? This national integration that you are talking about, is this how you develop national integration? That an individual becomes a warlord and challenges the nation and its writ and says that Gwadar port will not be developed. That the pipeline from Iran will not pass through. How will Pakistan continue like this?

The question is ... fix your thoughts... all the discussion that has happened, all the people that have spoken, these were all pertinent, these are all pertinent and current subjects. You should have a correct understanding of these and you should act in the right manner.

My request is that you look at yourself. Are you promoting unity or are you creating differences and hatred? Also take a look into this and understand it in the right way.

Thank you very much.