Pakistan ex-President Pervez Musharraf, who backed US war in Afghanistan after 9/11, dies at 79
- The 79-year-old Musharraf died in hospital after a long illness after spending years in self-imposed exile
- He became one of Washington’s most important allies after the 9/11 attacks, allowing US forces to operate armed drones from secret bases on Pakistani soil
Pervez Musharraf, the four-star general who ruled Pakistan for nearly a decade after seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1999, oversaw rapid economic growth and attempted to usher in socially liberal values in the conservative Muslim country, died in hospital after a long illness after spending years in self-imposed exile, Pakistan media reported on Sunday.
Pakistan’s military and the country’s mission in the United Arab Emirates announced the death of the former army chief, who was pushed from power in 2008.
“I can confirm that he passed away this morning,” Shazia Siraj, spokesperson for Pakistan’s consulate in Dubai and embassy in Abu Dhabi, told Reuters.
The chiefs of Pakistan’s army, navy and air force expressed condolences on his death, the public relations wing of the military said.
Allowed abroad for medical treatment even as he faced a treason case in Pakistan, Musharraf last flew to Dubai in 2016.
He enjoyed strong support for many years, his greatest threat al-Qaeda and other militant Islamists who tried to kill him at least three times.