Islamabad, (Samajweekly) Former Pakistan President and military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, who had been living in Dubai since 2016, breathed his last on Sunday, local media reported.
The 79-year-old former chief of army staff was suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body, according to his family. The build-up of amyloid proteins (deposits) can make it difficult for the organs and tissues to work properly.
Musharraf assumed the post of Chief Executive after imposing martial law in the country in 1999 and served as the president of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008, The Express Tribune reported.
The former president’s family moved from New Delhi to Karachi in 1947. He joined the Pakistan Army in 1964 and was a graduate of the Army Staff and Command College, Quetta.
The military ruler also took part in the 1965 and 1971 wars, Geo News reported.
He was promoted to the rank of general in 1998 and took over as the chief of army staff (COAS). A year later on October 12, 1999, Gen (retd) Musharraf usurped power in a coup d’etat.
Musharraf remained the longest-serving president of Pakistan as he took after taking over the country’s reins. He was elected as the president through a referendum in 2002 and remained in office till 2008, Geo News reported.
During his tenure, the military leader accepted the US proposal for Pakistan to become a frontline ally after the 9/11 incident.
Later in 2004, he was elected as a president in uniform for five year via 17th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan.
Musharraf is also known for anti-constitutional measures to depose the judges of Supreme Court in November 2007, which marked the beginning of Lawyers’ Movement – also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary, Geo News reported.
Following a movement led by the political parties, Musharraf resigned as the president on August 18, 2008.
The former military ruler was sentenced to death by a special court on December 17, 2019, under Article 6 of the Constitution. A case of high treason was filed against him during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) tenure.
Musharraf was present in the court on March 31, 2016, when he was indicted on the charges.
Later, he flew out of the country due to his illness, Geo News reported.
Reacting to the news, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad, and tri-services chiefs expressed heartfelt condolences on the former army chief’s demise.
