Full Transcript of Musharraf Interview

Nov. 30, 2007 — -- Below is the full transcript of Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's interview on Friday, Nov. 30 with Chris Cuomo for "Good Morning America."

Chris Cuomo: So you've said, Mr. President, the last few days were very uncomfortable for you, not just as a leader, but emotionally difficult for you. Some of the most painful days of your life. Why?

Pervez Musharraf: First of all, the idea of breaking from an institution in which you served for 46 years, half a century, and where you've worked with all your heart and soul and that my passion, as I said, has been all along. And then, um, of course the pressures of governance, the turbulence in the country. All these created a combined effect.

Cuomo: When did it sink in that -- not that you said you're taking the uniform off -- but that things are different now? When did it hit you?

Musharraf: It hit me at the ceremony, I think, when I handed over the baton to the new army chief of staff. Uh, that ceremony that was very nostalgic, very emotional because I thought this is the day when I am leaving. I am no more the chief.

Cuomo: After the ceremony, any second guessing when you woke up this morning? Did you think, What have I done?

Musharraf: No not at all. Absolutely not because I've been living with this idea for months, many months. Since maybe the beginning of the year, I had decided in my mind I had to quit because the constitution allows me up to ... November. And I knew I had decided I could not violate the constitution, and I can't unless we have a two-thirds majority in the assembly, and it passes a vote for my extended term in uniform, so there was no doubt and all along I had decided in my mind I had no doubt I would remove my uniform.

Cuomo: What made you decide to do it now? Pressure from the U.S., from the military?

Musharraf:No military doesn't exert any pressure, military is with me. They're my military for half a century, and there's no pressure from the United States. Yes the whole world thought I had to doff my uniform, but I don't make decisions on pressures from abroad. I see things domestically. What is in the interest of Pakistan and as I said there was no pressure when you want to do something else and someone is telling you to do the opposite. I myself had said I was going to remove the uniform and I will follow the constitution. That's what I've been saying for a year since the beginning of the year, I will follow the constitution. so what kind of pressure is there? They are saying exactly what I want to do.

Cuomo: You ask me why I was holding the newspaper. For a sitting president this is some front page to deal with, you have the challenges of two different opposition parties, you have challenges from the Taliban, you have challenges from the court, you have a lot of pressure and challenges. How do you think you can bring this all together and unify the country?

Musharraf:The country will be unified. The country is unified against terrorism. First of all, I think everyone realizes we have to fight terrorism. So sure, terrorism, the country is unified we will fight terrorism. Whichever party wins and whichever leader comes into the fore. And the Army is determined to fight terrorism. That is as far as terrorism is concerned. The other is political. These are all issues that will get resolved once we have elections. And the party whichever wins forms the government and has the prime minister. And I think all this will fall in line.

Cuomo: You think it will all just go away when you have elections?

Musharraf: Well, I wouldn't say that everything will go away. No. We'll keep fighting terrorism. And the opposition here, it's not like other countries. The opposition keeps agitating. I know they will start saying, for example, that whoever loses here -- we are very bad losers.They'll keep saying that they'll -- the election has not been fair. And I'm saying it just now. Even now, before the election, they'll keep saying that. And then whoever loses, elections have not been fair.

And anyone with -- boycotts for example. Some had boycotted. One or two had boycotted. But they are -- now they are carrying on saying that the elections should not have been held. For whatever reason, I mean I don't know why they are boycotted in any case.

Cuomo: Do you think you can recover from what's being called your second coup? The emergence and acts of government that you did. Do you think you can recover from what's being called the second coup. That the powerful political position has caused some distress among the people in here. How do you think you can regain their trust that you want to do what's right for Pakistan?

Musharraf: I will call the opposition. The opposition has all around been behaving as they are behaving since five years. They have been behaving like this. They have all along these five years tried to destabilize me -- and the government. Trying their best to -- all along for the five years. Now as far as the other part, what did you ask? Sorry. The...

Cuomo: You said the emergency rule is necessary to deal with security threat and extremists. But you wound up putting many people in jail who were political opponents. Judges, media. Made people think, "That's who Musharraf thinks the extremists are?"

Musharraf: No.

Cuomo: ... The opponents. It doesn't engender a lot of confidence in you that you believe in democracy.

Musharraf: Yes. No, that, that is not the case. Now that is exactly when I said, "Let's do it the hard way." ... After the speech that I gave after the oath taking. You have to understand, we don't want agitation here. We are going in for politics. We don't want agitational politics. Agitation means breaking down everything, burning things. Right? Now if they are going to do that, we will not allow it. But this is not an agitation where in the West people come with placards and they go away and streets are very clean.Here they'll burn down everything. They'll burn cars and motorcycles. That cannot be allowed. So therefore if anyone is trying to do that, we will stop it. That is the way it is in Pakistan.

Cuomo: You said we want civilized politics, not confrontation politics.

Musharraf: Yes.

Cuomo: Your opponents say, though, that you're saying you don't want opposition. You're saying you don't want them burning the streets. Your critics say, "No, he doesn't want any opposition. If you say you're against him, he throws you in jail. If you say you're against him and you're chief of the court, he locks you in your home." This is not a good impression.

Musharraf: No... absolutely wrong again. That is why, exactly what I show. The West needs to learn what is happening in Pakistan.[unintelligible] is back. Is that putting people on jail? Omar Musharraf is back. Is that what -- putting people in jail? And they are talking -- they are giving interviews to television. Just now I came, all of them were having great interviews on television. Is that -- putting people in jail? We put people in jail if they want to come and burn down and destroy things. They will be put in jail.

Cuomo: How do you explain putting Bhutto under house arrest and saying --[Overtalk] ... That raises speculation.

Musharraf: Yes, indeed. But she was under house arrest because she was going to take a procession which would -- again, there is a terrorist threat. There would again be a bomb blast. And, again, the same element. If you take a procession now, are you going to again burn down and destroy things. The [unintelligible] of certain culture that we want to follow up to the elections. And that is tranquility, peace. Do your election campaigning.

But if you are in, "We are going to boycott elections. We want this. We want that. We want this. And now we are coming out into the streets and we are going to go in a procession." No sir. This is not the way.

Cuomo: Do you understand why your actions raise concern in the West about how you're treating your political opponents? How you're treating the media and people who are seeking...

Musharraf: Yes....The media. And all -- the media. Yes, indeed. We had to crack down on the media...

Cuomo: Why?

Musharraf: Because the media was creating despondency and despair in the public of Pakistan through distorting facts. Not all of the media. Some elements. Some elements in the media.

So therefore we had to introduce a code of conduct. We asked them to -- this -- the last one year I'm asking them to produce a code of conduct of their own. They did not. So therefore we had to introduce a code of conduct. All of them signed -- those who signed are back. And they are -- the media is there.

What I want to repeat, the Western media needs to understand Pakistan. We are not United States. We are not U.K. We are not Europe. This is Pakistan. Come and learn what is Pakistan. And then comment. Unfortunately, as [unintelligible], that you comment sitting in Europe and try to kind of work Pakistan into Europe. No, sir. That's not the case. This is Pakistan.

When I say it normally would be ... human rights and civil liberties as we want to handle it, one man, Hezbollah, in [unintelligible] with some radio put the whole [unintelligible] on fire. Now human rights say, "Well, you -- you [unintelligible] . What is the problem? Carry on."

No, sir. This is Pakistan. We cannot allow this one man to do that. The people are illiterate. This man is a good cleric. He talks. He motivates. And he indoctrinates people from the [unintelligible] radio. So we crack down on him. What does the -- what does the West say about this civil liberties then? Should we allow him?

So please come to Pakistan and see Pakistan. And what is happening here. You've got colored eyes there. You -- you're seeing -- seeing Pakistan with jaundiced eyes because you ... you're sitting in-- wherever you are. People -- the -- the environment here is different. See this environment. And then comment. Then comment.

Cuomo: I've had the good fortune of being here several times and I've enjoyed it every time. And it's been a great education. Do you think this is a little bit about both sides learning, though? You have to learn here as well about how to deal with your opponents? About how to deal with people who say things that you don't like? Is that part of the learning curve as well?

Musharraf: I haven't I have been most compassionate. I don't think any leader in Pakistan ever tolerated what I tolerate. So nobody has to teach me that. I've already -- I know that. Even today if you take the newspapers and read the newspapers, we would have written things against me. I tolerate everything. I have no problem with criticism on me. Or even the government. But if that criticism is biased and distorted, distorted by design, distorted by political design, now that is where I got -- get agitated.

Distortion of facts. See, political involvement. Now this is annoying. And then if this distortion is leading to despondency, despair of the nation. This is annoying. This is a violation of a code of conduct.

And we have taken the code of conduct -- I saw code of conduct in West -- many Western countries. And I realize that, "My god. We are -- these people are far more independent than your press. Your media." There is -- there is always a check in your media. I know that.

Cuomo: But you don't get locked up when you put out a story or say something...the government doesn't like.

Musharraf: The issue is different, right? In your country, you don't -- maybe you don't hang people. Here we hang people. Okay? Now don't teach us what you have. We will not impose what you have in your country in Pakistan.We have our own rules and regulations. We have our own constitution. We have our own people. ... They behave in a certain way. And therefore the responses are in a certain way that we think is suitable for Pakistan.

Cuomo: Well, on the front of terror...we'll talk about politics more, but on the front of terror you said in your speech,"The back has been broken of terrorism." In the West there is a perception that $10 billion in aide has been given here to help educate and squash terror. And that the situation in many ways seems worse. What do you say?