Pervez Musharraf, 2001 News

Pakistani general, declared himself president and formal head of state in June, less than a month before a summit meeting in India with Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee. He promptly assured the country that civilian rule will resume in October 2002, with democratic elections. Musharraf angered Pakistan's Islamic fundamentalists when he agreed to cooperate with the U.S. following September's terrorist attacks.In elevating himself, Musarraf fired civilian president Rafiq Tara, who had held the largely ceremonial post since Musharraf ousted Pakistan's prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, in a bloodless October 1999 coup.


2001 People in the News