What should Musharraf be doing in the near, and distant, future?
Former President of Pakistan and Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has taken time out from treason accusations to tell the world that Pakistan does not need Western democracy. Musharraf has also told rest of the universe that it was the US that created the Taliban and not Pakistan.
A couple of days before that he told everyone that he had sanctioned only one drone strike during his tenure as the joint president and army chief. Furthermore, before all these crucial revelations, Mush had warned India Prime Minister Narendra Modi that Pakistan could drop an atom bomb on Bharat – or words to that effect.
While Musharraf has been in the news virtually every day since his return to Pakistan – arguably the biggest mistake of his life since circa 1999 – the former military dictator, who is not quite sure about the ‘former’ bit, had been hogging the news more so than ever, in the recent weeks.
Even though it is perfectly natural for a man as charismatic as Mush to be in the news, one does wonder what future lies in store for the man. I mean few would argue against the fact that Musharraf still has a lot to offer, if not as a military strategist or politician, then definitely something else.
What should Musharraf be doing in the near, and distant, future? Here are a few options:
Cricket Commentator
Considering that Pakistan’s best and the most recognised cricket commentator is Ramiz Raja, Pakistan could do a lot worse than Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf would have some very creative analyses to offer, especially on the strategic aspects of the game. With the ICC Cricket World Cup just a couple of months away, Musharraf could become the face of cricket in 2015. Listening to his commentary in the World Cup group match between India and Pakistan would be priceless.
Painter
He is creative in his imagination, that bit is clear. He might be biased in his choice of colours, but one gets the feeling that Mush would make a world class painter. If the recent past is anything to go by, the former president of Pakistan does know how to paint a picture. And from a commercial point of view, the kind of pictures he paints, more often than not garner popularity in Pakistan, which at the end of the day would be his target market.
Film Director
One could swear that Pakistan’s most memorable offering in recent times, Waar, seemed to be directed, produced and definitely written by Mush. Then came O21, and despite being quite different in terms of conspiracy theories, it still focused on the region that Mush holds dear. Even if he had no hand in those two movies, with Pakistani cinema focusing on the AfPak region post US-withdrawal – even though there doesn’t seem to be a withdrawal – Musharraf could make serious dough from movies.
Investigative Journalist
Oh he would beat them all, wouldn’t he, with the kind of info that he has? Plus like other Pakistani investigative journalist, Mush is fond of creative writing as well. He would do stories about North Waziristan, Balochistan and Kashmir, like the rest of the world of journalism hasn’t been able to pull off collectively. And the best thing is Mush really isn’t looking for a career that has to pay well.
Rock Musician
He already has the rock star attitude that is mandatory for all rock or metal artists. Musharraf would be a wonderful addition to any heavy metal band, in any position. Mush might prefer to be the lead vocalist or on the drums though. If nothing else this would signal the revival of Pakistan’s long dead music industry.
The writer is a career advisor who has successfully helped millions switch career decades after retirement. All side-effects of The Horizontal Column are the readers’ headache.
