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“Sit down!”: My moment with Musharraf

Posted in Irshaddering Thoughts, On The Road on Mar 23, 2009

Former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf answering my question at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi

Some people back-pack in India. Others join meditation retreats. A lot of us visit relatives (because we’re in horrendous trouble if we don’t). One day, I hope to drop in on all my Aunties and Uncles. But for now, I’m satisfied with having used my India adventure to confront Pakistan’s former president, Pervez Musharraf, about honor killings.

Let me explain.

India Today — the news magazine of record in the sub-continent — invited me to speak at its annual conference, known as the India Today Conclave. My speech tackled the question, “Does terror have a religion?” (Quick answer: Terror has no particular religion, but it always has a dogma. Just ask Robespierre, luminary of the French Revolution, who hated institutional Christianity but embraced terror. As he notoriously announced, “Terror is only justice prompt, severe and inflexible; it is then an emanation of virtue…“)

Speaking at the India Today Conclave:

“Does Terror have a Religion?”

(Courtesy: Hemant Chawla/India Today)

On the final night of the conference, delegates convened for a gala dinner keynoted by Pervez Musharraf. I was seated at the head table — mere feet from the speaker as he addressed the entire ballroom. Musharraf called himself a “man for peace” and acknowledged the link between religious “extremism” and “terrorism.”

Given these statements, I had to pose a question. But how to get the moderator’s attention? After all, the majority of delegates — among India’s power players — were springing out of their seats to press Musharraf about Pakistan’s involvement in last November’s terrorist attacks on Bombay.

The moderator, India Today’s elegant editor-in-chief, ain’t no dummy. There was news to be made here. His sharp journalistic instincts compelled him to set aside the lion’s share of time for the boisterous debate about India’s 9/11.

In that atmosphere, what was I to do — knowing that my question would inconveniently change the topic?

Don’t let the look fool you: Maulana Madani, a progressive Muslim cleric, speaks after me and blasts gender bias in Islam

(Courtesy: Ravi Sahani/India Today)

Enter Pakistan’s ambassador to India, a refreshingly open-minded man who, it turns out, has defended my work since his days as Pakistan’s ambassador to Canada. (Talk about moral courage!) He waved to the moderator and directed his sight to me. The ambassador, God bless him, had no idea what I would ask. All he had was faith that it would be worth hearing. I tried to make it so.

Standing up, I broke with the barrage of hostility aimed at Musharraf and began, simply, with “salaam alaikum.” I wanted to assure him that I’m asking my question as a fellow Muslim – and a faithful one, at that. He let slip a smile of relief. The smile wouldn’t last, as my question came next:

Since you’ve emphasized the connection between extremism and terrorism, and since you’ve been respectfully challenged to find a post-presidential role for yourself as a “man for peace,” will you let me help you find a role in supporting the many Pakistani human rights activists who are working against the epidemic of honor killings in your country?

Musharraf paused. “Would you like to ask another question?” he retorted. No, I replied. Honor killings are an important issue, and this is a golden opportunity for you to declare before an august audience that you mean what you say.

At which point, Musharraf whipped out the cultural club. “Sit down!” he ordered.

I guess even retired generals never really hang up their army fatigues. For the sake of results, I did as he decreed and took my seat.

Musharraf launched into a defensive dissertation about women’s inequality being a problem all over the world, not just in Pakistan. He then insisted that his government took steps to end discrimination against women. (To an extent, he’s right, and I wrote about these efforts almost three years ago in the Los Angeles Times. Facing a robust campaign waged by Pakistani civil society, Musharraf did more to loosen the grip of strict Sharia than the late Benazir Bhutto ever did.)

But to those women who aren’t satisfied with what he’s already done, Musharraf said this: If you try to climb a ladder too fast, you’ll fall off. (Perhaps he should read the Letter from a Birmingham Jail, in which Martin Luther King Jr. writes, “For years now I have heard the word ‘Wait!’ It rings in the ear of every Negro with piercing familiarity. This ‘Wait’ has almost always meant ‘Never.’”)

Musharraf wrapped his reply by admitting that he’s really not sure what he can do now that he’s no longer president, but that “even in my present capacity if I can do anything, I would like to do it.” You gotta take victories where you can get them. I interpreted his parting words, however grudging and grumpy, as an invitation to send him ideas.

Daila Lama opens the India Today Conclave

Later, I told my new diplomatic BFF, the Pakistani ambassador to India, that by no means was I singling out Pakistani women as the only victims of male violence in our messed-up world. In fact, I’ve recently blogged about the anti-female ferocity of Hindu nationalists in India.

But surely it’s reasonable to expect Pervez Musharraf, as the former prez of Pakistan, to care about the plight of women in Pakistan. Imagine the impact that his voice could have: A high-profile (and, let’s face it, authoritarian) Muslim male, publicly protesting honor crimes, could give so many other Muslim men the permission to ally with women activists.

On top of it all, months after 9/11, Musharraf famously spoke about the need for Muslim enlightenment. By visibly opposing the abuse of faith that honor crimes brutally and blatantly represent, Musharraf would do his stated vision of Islam a huge service.

Over dinner, the ambassador introduced me to his daughter, a soft-spoken and whip-smart Muslim who, it turns out, has been immersed in the Pakistani struggle against honor killings. She thoroughly understood the purpose of raising this issue with Musharraf, especially in light of the privileged access we had to him that night. Above all, she volunteered to put me in touch with Pakistani advocates who would know how — or if — the former president ought to get involved.

Since then, India Today’s broadcast arm has aired my encounter with Pervez Musharraf, sparking a certain emotionalism:

“Its hard for me to express in words how outraged I was when I saw you on TV [with] Retired General Pervez Musharaf and questioning how you can help him change the customs that trouble not just Pakistan, but India as well (i.e honour killings)… My question to you is: How can I help you help the women in India?? How about the fact that there are 500,000 female fetuses aborted in India every year? Is that number a bit low for you? How about 20 million female fetuses aborted in India alone in the past 20 years. Please tell me how I can help you lessen the number of female fetuses killed by your innocent people of India?

There are NGOs in Pakistan functioning for the empowerment of women. As I’m sure there are in India as well. But please, stop acting like India is the creme brule when it comes to women’s rights and fix your own problems first. The best part of that segment was when Musharaf told you to ’sit down’.” - Dr. Said A. Chaudhry, Allama Iqbal Medical College, Lahore, Pakistan

And sit down, I did. But when will educated men like this stand up — and set an example for other countries by improving their own? Maybe if Pervez Musharraf made noise about honor killings, the fine Dr. Chaudhry would too. Maybe. It’s a possibility that begs to be pursued.

Peace out, people, and “Jai ho!” to human rights activists everywhere

(Ravi Sahani/India Today)