how to: An Evening with former President of Pakistan General Musharraf in conversation with Yalda Hakim

An unmissable discussion of the recent past and long-term future of Pakistan, India and Afghanistan : Pakistan’s geopolitical role as a strategic ally in fighting terrorism, conflicts in Afghanistan, rapprochement with India, the foreign policy challenges presented by the Trump presidency, and the role of the West in conflict resolution and in socioeconomic uplift for the less developed Muslim world.

As President of Pakistan from 1999 to 2008, General Pervez Musharraf had what Time magazine described as ‘the most dangerous job in the world’. He played a crucial role in the global war on terrorism, survived several assassination attempts and still remains a target for those who would see a world divided between ‘the West and the Rest’.

When General Musharraf assumed office as head of state in October 1999 Pakistan faced diplomatic isolation and was mired in economic and constitutional crisis. His administration’s achievement in transforming an almost bankrupt state and removing it from the list of indebted countries has been widely acknowledged.

Over the course of his nine years at the helm, Pakistan saw structural reforms ranging from economic and social development to administrative and political restructuring. A local government system was introduced, women were empowered, freedom of expression restored and human resources prioritised, in pursuit of Musharraf’s vision for Pakistan as a progressive and prosperous Islamic state.

On the international stage, Musharraf has stood for moderation and dialogue, and believes in finding just and honourable solutions to international disputes within the framework of UN resolutions. A general who has had an illustrious military career and fought in several conflicts, he is not a man of war but something rarer, ‘a man of peace who has experienced the ravages of war’.