The leader who changed Pakistan's history and the nation's destiny

It is a critical fork in the road between democracy and dictatorship and between moderation and extremism. In its resolution lies not only the future of Pakistan, but also its ability to contain the spread of militancy and extremism which now threatens the territorial integrity of Pakistan. The stakes could not be higher. Military dictatorship has fueled extremism. A democratically elected government enjoying the support of the people can bring peace to the people of Pakistan and eliminate extremism. Eliminate terrorism by taking extremism off the radar screen.
I was the civilian female leader of a democratic Pakistan that invested political capital in the tribal areas that a military regime has failed to control. As Prime Minister I brought the rule of law and the fruits of development to the people in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas. My Administration brought the authority of the government and the rule of law to FATA in the 1990s. And we can do it again.
The people of Pakistan want a government that can build a school system giving their children a chance for a better life. Education was the centerpiece of my social agenda. My government built 48,000 primary schools in its two stints in government. If the people of Pakistan wish me to lead them again, education will be the center-piece of a new PPP government.
General Musharraf has tried convincing the world that he is the only thing standing in the way of an extremist takeover of a nuclear armed Pakistan. In fact extremism thrives under dictatorship. The people of Pakistan have never supported dictatorship or extremism. It is only dictatorships which have used the Islamic card to legitimize their rule at the expense of the neglected people of Pakistan. Dictatorships, lacking a popular base, need the religious card, played in one shape or another, to justify their stranglehold on power. They need a crisis to obtain international support, both political and financial. Extremists have never been able to achieve more than 11% of the vote in a free election, and they will do worse, not better if free elections are held today. Dictatorship in Pakistan is not containing extremism, it is fuelling it. The suppression of democracy in my homeland has had profound institutional consequences.
I am returning to Pakistan to coalesce the forces of moderation against extremism and to prove that the fundamental battle for the hearts and minds of a generation can only be accomplished under democracy. This is a battle that can only successfully be waged in a democratic Pakistan by a legitimate government that enjoys the support of the people. This is a battle that I am prepared to wage, to lead and to win.
I am well aware that some in Pakistan have questioned the dialogue I have engaged in with General Musharraf over the last several months. I entered into that discussion with my eyes wide open. My goal from the beginning and to this day is to have free and fair elections in Pakistan that constitutionally elects a civilian president who recognizes the supremacy of the Parliament - which embodies the will of the people through their elected representatives.
The goal of my dialogue with Musharraf has never been personal. The goal was always to ensure that there be fair and free elections in Pakistan, pursuant to the Constitution, supervised by a robust team of international monitors and observers, as quickly as possible. My goal was quite literally to save democracy in Pakistan, to give democracy a chance to nurture and grow and strengthen.
The fight against extremism requires a national effort that can flow only from legitimate elections. Within our intelligence and military are elements who sympathize with religious extremists. If these elements are not answerable to Parliament and the elected government, the battle against religious militancy, a battle for the survival and future of Pakistan, could be lost. The military must be part of the battle against extremism, but as the six years since September 11 have shown, the military cannot do it on its own.
Many issues remain unresolved in our political structure. Musharraf is precluded by law from seeking reelection in or out of uniform. Pakistani law requires a two-year lapse before a member of the military can run for the presidency. The general can respond to the people's desire for legitimate presidential, parliamentary and ministerial elections, or he can tamper with the Constitution. The latter choice would risk a fresh confrontation with the judiciary, the legal community and the political parties.
My dialogue with Musharraf aims to bring change by promoting democracy and stopping a dictatorship that has failed to stop the tribal areas becoming safe havens for militants. The extremists are now spreading their tentacles into Pakistan's cities. It is a process that must be stopped, if the people of Pakistan are to have security, employment, education and a better quality of life and if Pakistan is to be saved from the clutches of extremists.
My party and I seek fair, free and impartial elections to be held by an independent election commission under an interim government of national consensus. We want a level playing field for all candidates and parties. The Musharraf Election Commission has failed to give civil society and the opposition confidence. Joseph Stalin is thought to have once said, "Those who cast the vote decide nothing. Those who count the vote decide everything." That's why we have stressed electoral reforms - although our efforts have so far been in vain.
The people of Pakistan want change. Change of systems, change of programs, change from a climate of threat to one of stability and prosperity. They don't want to see the sham of 2002 repeated again, resulting in an illegitimate government that has no mandate to govern and fails to give security of life or economic growth that can provide hope and opportunity to those unemployed or living on the margins of poverty.
I plan to return to Pakistan next month, to land in my home town of Karachi on October 18th. I chose Karachi as the city to return to because it is the city where the founder of Pakistan rests. Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah campaigned to create Pakistan as a democracy where all citizens would be equal irrespective of their race, their religion or their gender. I go to Karachi to rekindle the dream of Quaid-e-Azam for the people of Pakistan.