Former Pakistani President and Army General Pervez Musharraf passed away on Sunday at the age of 79. He was being treated for an illness at the American Hospital Dubai when he passed. The Pakistani army released a statement expressing their condolences to his family and praying for his soul. President Arif Alvi also offered his condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for strength during this difficult time.
Musharraf was born in Delhi in 1943 and completed his early education in Karachi before pursuing higher education in Lahore. Despite being a prominent figure in Pakistani politics, he faced several legal issues and was declared a fugitive in several cases, including the murder of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the killing of a Red Mosque cleric. He had lived in Dubai since 2016, where he was facing a treason case for suspending the constitution in 2007.
The former military ruler was hospitalised due to complications from the rare disease amyloidosis, which causes abnormal protein deposits in various body tissues leading to organ damage. He rose to national prominence after being promoted to four-star general by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998 and leading the Kargil infiltration, which sparked a war between India and Pakistan in 1999. In 2019, he was sentenced to death by a special court, but the Lahore High Court declared the proceedings unconstitutional in 2020.
Musharraf came to power in a bloodless coup in 1999, overthrowing Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. He resigned as president in 2008 following elections and faced impeachment proceedings, leading to his self-imposed exile in Dubai.
