Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf dies

Pakistan’s former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf passed away in a Dubai hospital at the age of 79, his family confirmed on Sunday (February 5). 

The former military ruler was undergoing treatment for an ailment at American Hospital Dubai.

Musharraf was born on August 11, 1943 in Delhi, British India. He got his commission from the Pakistan Military Academy Kakul on April 19, 1961.

Upon getting his commission, the former dictator joined the special services group.

The military ruler also took part in the 1965 and 1971 wars. 

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.

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 years 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.

Following a movement led by the political parties, Musharraf resigned as the president on August 18, 2008._Geo News