Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf dies

Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf died Sunday of a prolonged illness in a hospital in Dubai, following years of self-imposed exile.

Pakistan’s military and the country’s mission to the United Arab Emirates 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, spokeswoman for Pakistan’s consulate in Dubai and embassy in Abu Dhabi, told Reuters.

Pakistan’s army, navy and air force chiefs have expressed their condolences over his death, the army’s public relations wing said.

The former four-star general, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, oversaw rapid economic growth and tried to introduce socially liberal values ​​to the conservative Muslim country.

Musharraf has enjoyed strong support for many years, with his biggest threat being al-Qaeda and other Islamist militants who have tried to kill him at least three times.

But his brutal use of the military to suppress dissent as well as his continued support for the United States in its fight against al-Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban ultimately led to his downfall.

Allowed abroad for medical treatment even as he faced a treason case in Pakistan, Musharraf last visited Dubai in 2016.