Was Mr. Musharraf Liberal or Libertine?
By Rais Khan
Fremont , California
In line with his vituperative attitude and recalcitrant style, Mr. Musharraf felt no hesitation to lay bare fantasies of his youthful days scattered in his book titled "In Line of Fire". He referred to his two love affairs, the last with a Bengali girl. He also pointed to his successful attempt to get his first posting after commissioning at his choice station of Karachi due to the love impulse of the said girl. All such references can be considered reflections of a liberal mind that are acceptable in the modern age even in the conservative Pakistani society. But Mr. Musharraf seemed to be swayed by highly sensuous thoughts and did not stop short of revealing some truth about his self-indulgence on Page-34 of his book in words produced here as, “One day there was a debate at FC College in which some girls from Kinnard had been invited to participate. A boy sitting behind me kept hitting my chair with his foot, really irritating me. I repeatedly told him to stop, but he would not. With girls from Kinnard there, my testosterone level had probably shot up, so I told him to step outside. He did and a big fight ensued but soon the other boys separated us.”
If not all then majority of those reading his book would comprehend as to what it means when a man testosterone level shoots up. All educated people know that testosterone is a kind of male hormone of the androgens family and is responsible for the development of male reproductive system. Shooting up of its level corresponds to physical stimulation. Young age fallibilities are common occurrences but their glorification is uncommon among the saner elements.
No matter Mr. Musharraf enjoyed no-holds–barred situation in the exercise of power and pelf but brakes apply in the realm of morality. Mr. Musharraf has children and one wonders if he would be prepared to recite the above verses to his children, a daughter and a son. It is one thing to be liberal and quite other to be libertine. The former behavior is acceptable but the latter is the most detestable attitude. Why didn’t he think for a moment while disseminating personal information that he was, at the time, not a don of some rouge mercenary outfit but Chief of the regular national army of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, a father and an elderly member of a Muslim society?
Pakistan is predominantly a Muslim country with a strict code of ethics enshrining orthodox outlook and conservative values. Its people expect state servants to observe and respect these values. Even in the liberal West like USA, its leaders are conscious of the propriety of their positions and sentiments of the people. Former President Clinton was indicted for impeachment for his indulgence in sensual pleasures. As we know from other sources he was a Jim Dandy in his youth but he did not elaborate any such thing in his autobiography titled “My Life”.
His wife Hillary Clinton also made some passing remarks of dating boys in Wellesley College days in her book entitled “Living History” but no details or impropriety in her expressions. Is Mr. Musharraf a super liberal compared to the Clintons when he observed no bounds while releasing his book in their country? He should know that Americans are very sensitive people when it comes to choosing their public leaders or state servants and abhor any tendency of self-gratification in public by anyone holding an office of profit in their land.They strongly rebuke any person paid from the tax-payers money who is found displaying slightest tendency towards any kind of Don- Juanism.
