Islamabad – Former military dictator of Pakistan, Pervez Musharraf, passed away in Dubai at the age of 79 after a long battle with amyloidosis, a rare disease. The news of his death was first announced on social media before being confirmed by the Pakistani consulate in Dubai and the family of the former army chief.
Mr. Musharraf had been in critical condition for the past few months as his organs started to fail. A special flight will leave for Dubai today to bring back his body to Pakistan where he will be laid to rest in Karachi. The Consulate General of Pakistan in Dubai has issued a no-objection certificate (NOC) to facilitate the repatriation process for his family.
Mr. Musharraf’s illness was made public in 2018 when the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML) announced that he was suffering from amyloidosis. In June of last year, he was hospitalized for three weeks, leading to rumors of his death. However, his family had to issue a statement to dispel these rumors.
The former dictator left Pakistan in March 2016 for medical treatment, two years after he was indicted by a court for suspending the Constitution in 2007. In 2019, a special court handed him a death sentence for high treason, but the decision was suspended by a Lahore High Court bench.
Reactions to the news of his death have been mixed, with condolences pouring in from all quarters, as politicians and civil society members recall his “mixed legacy.” Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi, and former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif all offered their condolences. PTI Chairman Imran Khan expressed his condolences and sent his prayers to the family, while Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari changed his Twitter profile picture to a photo of slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and Nawab Akbar Bugti, in a symbolic gesture as Mr. Musharraf was accused in both murder cases.
Senate Chairman Sadiq Sanjrani also expressed his sorrow over the former president’s death and extended his condolences to the family. The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) issued a statement offering condolences from Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee General Sahir Shamshad and all the services chiefs.
Ex-PM Yousuf Raza Gilani’s son, Ali Musa Gilani, tweeted about the passing of Mr. Musharraf, saying, “Musharraf is dead…Democracy is alive, people who died for this cause are alive. Musharraf rule not only took five years of my father’s life but took the childhood of many, including me.” Former Pakistan ambassador to the United Nations, Maleeha Lodhi, offered a prayer for the former president. PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry called Mr. Musharraf a “great person” whose ideology was always to put Pakistan first.
