In 1999, General Pervez Musharraf overthrew Pakistan's civilian government in a coup. While he has been criticized by some both within and outside of Pakistan for failing to restore democracy in that country, David Tahir Mehmood argues in the following viewpoint that Musharraf should instead be praised for taking actions against Islamic militants in Pakistan. He compares Musharraf to Mustapha Kemal (Ataturk), who as military dictator of Turkey following World War I successfully established the foundations for a secular society and democratic government in that country. Tahir Mehmood conten…
