Pervez Musharraf

Pervez Musharraf became President of Pakistan in 1999. Immediately prior to this, he was head of the army. He seized power in a military coup? in October 1999 and became President on June 20, 2001.

Musharraf was born in 1943 in what is now India. He moved with his parents to Pakistan in 1947. He was trained as a commando and fought in two wars against India.

Musharraf is considered a moderate leader who is willing to deal with the West. He has been open to making economic reforms and to modernize Pakistan.