Islamabad, Feb. 5 (BNA): Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf died today, Sunday, after a long illness, in a Dubai hospital after years of self-imposed exile.
The Pakistani army and the country’s mission in the UAE announced the death of the former army chief, 79, who was ousted from power in 2008.
“I can confirm that he passed away this morning,” Shazia Siraj, a spokeswoman for the Pakistani consulate in Dubai and the embassy in Abu Dhabi, told Reuters.
The Public Relations Wing of the Pakistan Army said that the chiefs of the Pakistan Army, Navy and Air Force had expressed their condolences on his death. President Arif Alvi expressed his condolences in a statement.
Local TV channel Geo News reported that a special flight would be made to Dubai on Monday to bring Musharraf’s body back to Pakistan for burial.
The former four-star general, who came to power in 1999, has overseen rapid economic growth and tried to preach social liberal values in the conservative Islamic country.
Musharraf was allowed abroad for medical treatment even when he faced a treason case in Pakistan, and he last traveled to Dubai in 2016.
Rial