Complete text of Gen Musharraf's speech

ISLAMABAD: Addressing the nation over radio and television around 3 am (PST) on Wednesday, Gen Pervez Musharraf charged the Nawaz Sharif government with systematically destroying institutions and for being responsible for the collapse of the economy.

The following is the text of his address:

My dear countrymen, Assalam Alaikum.

You are all aware of the kind of turmoil and uncertainty that our country has gone through in recent times. Not only have all the institutions been played around with, and systematically destroyed, the economy too is in a state of collapse. We are also aware of the self-serving policies being followed, which have rocked the very foundation of the Federation of Pakistan.

The armed forces have been facing incessant public clamour to remedy the fast declining situation from all sides of the political divide. These concerns were always conveyed to the Prime Minister in all sincerity, keeping the interest of the country foremost. It is apparent that they were never taken in the correct spirit. My singular concern has been the well-being of our country alone. This has been the sole reason that the army willingly offered its services for nation building tasks, the results of which have already been judged by you.

All my efforts and counsel to the Government it seems were to no avail. Instead they now turned their attention on the army itself. Despite all my advices they tried to interfere with the armed forces, the last remaining viable institution in which all of you take so much pride and look up to, at all times, for the stability, unity and integrity of our beloved country. Our concerns again were conveyed in no uncertain terms but the Government of Mr Nawaz Sharif chose to ignore all these and tried to politicise the army, destabilise it and tried to create dissension within its ranks.

I was in Sri Lanka on an official visit. On my way back the PIA commercial flight was not allowed to land at Karachi but was ordered to be diverted to any where outside Pakistan, despite acute shortage of fuel, imperilling the life of all the passengers. Thanks be to Allah, this evil design was thwarted through speedy army action.

My dear countrymen having briefly explained the background, I wish to inform you that the armed forces have moved in as a last resort, to prevent any further destabilisation. I have done so with all sincerity, loyalty and selfless devotion to the country with the armed forces firmly behind me. I do not wish to make a lengthy policy statement at this moment. I shall do that very soon. For the moment I only wish to assure you that the situation in the country is perfectly calm, stable and under control. Let no outside forces think they can take advantage of the prevailing situation.

Dear brothers and sisters, your armed forces have never and shall never let you down, Inshallah, we shall preserve the integrity and sovereignty of our country to the last drop of our blood. I request you all, to remain calm and support your armed forces in the re-establishment of order to pave the way for a prosperous future for Pakistan.

May Allah guide us on the path of truth and honour.

Allah Hafiz.

Pakistan coup-maker a commando

Islamabad, Oct 13 (Reuters) — Pakistan's military chief, General Pervez Musharraf, who apparently ousted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in a stunning coup, is a professional commando and veteran of two wars with India.

Pakistan state radio said late yesterday that Sharif's 31-month-old government had been dismissed. Pakistani satellite television monitored in London said it was announced by General Musharraf, whom he had fired hours earlier.

Born in New Delhi in August 1943, Musharraf underwent his early education in the port city of Karachi after he migrated to Pakistan along with his family.

He joined Pakistan's army in 1964 and served in an artillery regiment after training in the well-known military academy of Kakul in North West Frontier Province.

In 1965, he fought Indian troops in the Khem Karan sector in Punjab province during the 16-day war with India, taking part in intense battles for which he received a medal for gallantry.

In 1971, when Pakistan again went to war with India, Musharraf, who had trained as a commando, was a member of the elite military Special Services Group of commandos.

Musharraf has commanded senior staff and instructional positions in his rise up the ranks, commanding armoured divisions and infantry brigades along the way.

As a Lieutenant-General, his last key posting took place in 1995 as commander in Mangla in Punjab, an important military area close to the border with India.

He was appointed Army Chief in October 1998 after the resignation of former military chief General Jehangir Karamat, who stepped down after making remarks seen critical of Sharif.

Little is known about his personal life. He has a son and daughter, both of whom are married.

Sharif angered Pakistan army on Kashmir

Islamabad, Oct 13 (Reuters) — Pakistan's Nawaz Sharif, apparently ousted as Prime Minister by his sacked army chief, boosted his country's military pride with nuclear testing but fell out with the army over support for Kashmiri militants.

Sharif enjoyed military backing as he climbed the political ladder in the early 1980s, becoming the Chief Minister of Punjab, Pakistan's most populous province, in 1985.

He survived several political and economic crises to become the most powerful Prime Minister the country had had since independence in 1947.

But by September 1999 an escalation of political turmoil and Opposition demands that he quit led US Officials to express concern about a possible military coup.

Sharif's popularity had appeared to soar after he ordered nuclear tests in may 1998, in response to tests by India earlier in the month, making Pakistan what he called the world's seventh nuclear power.

The euphoria quickly dissipated as the USA and other western powers slapped economic sanctions on Pakistan for conducting the tests.

In mid-1999, incursions by Pakistan-backed Kashmiri militants into India brought the two countries close to their fourth war since independence.

Tension between Sharif and the army emerged in early July after the Prime Minister bowed to US pressure and called for the withdrawal of the militants.

Sharif axed Musharraf without warning as head of the army yesterday, appointing intelligence chief Lieutenant-General Ziauddin in his place.

Within hours, troops surrounded the Prime Minister's Islamabad residence and sealed off airports, major roads, key government buildings and other ministers' homes.

Sharif became the first industrialist to hold the Prime Minister's job, winning the 1990 general election after Benazir Bhutto's government was sacked by then President Ghulam Ishaq khan. He has ridden a political rollercoaster ever since.

He made his mark at home by opening up a strictly regulated economy and privatising public-sector industries.

But Opposition parties accused him of selling state enterprises off to friends at cut-rate prices and isolating Pakistan internationally in his pursuit of self-reliance.

Forced to resign in 1993 after fights with Mr khan and the military over charges of nepotism and corruption, Sharif toiled in the Opposition to unseat Benazir Bhutto and was rewarded when then President Farooq Leghari sacked her in late 1996.

He won a landslide election victory in February 1997 and managed to survive bitter rows with the judiciary and the President, leading to Leghari's resignation later in the year.

The events consolidated his grip on power, especially after he used his majority to change the constitution to strip the President of his power to dismiss an elected government.

International sanctions over the nuclear tests caused Pakistan to default on some of its debt, but were partially lifted in late 1988, allowing Sharif's government to get badly needed international funding and reschedule its foreign debt.

Sharif was born in Lahore on December 25, 1949, into a family of Kashmiri industrialists. He took a law degree at Punjab University in Lahore and worked in the family business before entering politics.