General Pervez Musharraf [Born 1943]

General Pervez Musharraf, the second of three brothers, was born in Delhi on
August 11, 1943. His parents chose to settle in Karachi after the creation of
Pakistan. He comes from a middle class family, his father having worked for the
foreign ministry. He spent his early years in Turkey, from 1949 to 1956, owing to
his father, the late Syed Musharrafu-ud-din’s deputation in Ankara. Fluently he
can converse in Turkish language and claims that Kamal Ataturk is his hero.
On return to Pakistan, General Pervez Musharraf received his education from Saint
Patrick's High School, Karachi, and then from F. C. College, Lahore. In 1961, he
joined the Pakistan Military Academy and was commissioned in Artillery
Regiment in 1964. He fought in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 as a young officer,
and was awarded Imtiazi Sanad for gallantry. He also achieved the Nishan-i-Imtiaz
(Military) and the Tamgha-i-Basalat. He has been also on the faculty of the
Command and Staff College, Quetta and the war wing of (the) National Defence
College. He volunteered to be a commando, and remained in the Special Services
Group for seven years. He also participated in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 as a
Company Commander in the Commando Battalion.
General Musharraf acquired varied experience in different command and
instructional appointments. He also served as Director General Military Operations
at the General Headquarters from 1993 to 1995.
General Musharraf rose to the rank of General and was appointed as the Chief of
Army Staff on October 7, 1998 when Pakistan's army chief, General Jehangir
Karamat, resigned two days after calling for the army to be given a key role in the
country's decision-making process. General Musharraf was given additional charge
of Chairman Joint Chiefs Staff Committee on April 9, 1999. On October 12, 1999,
when through a bloodless coup the military took over the government in Pakistan,
he became the head of the state designated as Chief Executive. He assumed the
office of President of Pakistan on June 20, 2001. In order to legitimize and legalize
his rule, General Pervez Musharraf held a referendum on April 30, 2002 thereby
elected as President of Pakistan for duration of five years. In accordance with the
deal with MMA (Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal), he agrees to leave the army on 31st
December, 2004 but will continue to serve five-year term as President as he got
vote of confidence on January 1, 2004, from the parliament and the four provincial
assemblies under the provision of the 17th Amendment duly passed by the
National Assembly and the Senate.
General Musharraf got married in 1968 and has two children, a son and a daughter.
He is a natural sportsman, who loves to spend most of his leisure time playing
Squash, Badminton or Golf. He also takes keen interest in water sports and has
been an enthusiastic canoeist. Being an avid reader, he is well versed in Military
History, his favorite subject.