By Nayeema Ahmad, Desk Editor, Urdu Service, London, 9 March 2004

When I landed in Islamabad for a joint talking point (Urdu and Hindi) with President General Musharraf, I was pleased to see the green landscape against a background of mountains swept by a cool breeze. It reminded me of my own Kashmir.

After reaching Army House in Rawalpindi – the venue for our programme – I wondered whether we should address Musharraf as general or president.

These days in Pakistan, much of the debate is occupied with the multiplicity of roles played by him.

The Commonwealth has insisted that he ditch his army job and stick to the presidency. In the end, I decided to call him general.

He was wearing a track suit

The staff at Army House were in civilian clothes but the searches and frisking were carried out with the meticulousness of soldiers.

Our Islamabad correspondent, Paul Anderson, went to pick up his diary which he had left in our vehicle. At this point, an official said: "Who says Muslims are conservatives and illiterates? Looking at you, who can say that Muslim women are weak and helpless."

As we approached the building housing Musharraf, we heard people coming towards us. Thinking that they were commandos, I told my team to co-operate fully without panicking.

While I was boosting morale, I saw Musharraf walking very fast towards us. He was wearing a track suit and smiling. We were surprised to see the head of state coming to greet us before we entered his house.

Musharraf warmly received us and asked: "Did you come early or are we late?" I pointed out that it was we who had arrived early in order to set up the equipment. He watched tv while his security officials and private staff helped us to set up.

Bringing the truth to light

Musharraf entered our makeshift studio saying he was was ready for his "interrogation".

I began by going through his profile as a soldier, listing his military achievements and his role in toppling the Sharif government. Most of the questions came from listeners.

He listened intently and sometimes made notes. He answered every question – even those that touched a raw nerve, such as: "How far will you go to appease Bush and Blair by harassing/intimidating your own people under the guise of war on terrorism?"

The general was calm and let out a laugh before answering. He was determined to eliminate what he believed were misconceptions. In particular, he asserted that the government that had existed before his takeover in 1999 was anything but a democracy.

At the end of the programme, he commented that many of the questioners from the sub-continent were "victims of propaganda and disinformation" and told us that it was the responsibility of organisations like the BBC to bring the truth to light.

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