Former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf Passes Away At 79

Former President Gen (retd) Pervez Musharraf Passes Away At 79
Former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has passed away in a Dubai hospital at the age of 79 following a prolonged illness.

Musharraf was undergoing treatment for an ailment at the American Hospital in Dubai.


General (retd) Pervez Musharraf was the 10th president of Pakistan. He was born on August 11, 1943, in Delhi, British India. He joined the Pakistan Army in 1964 and fought in the wars of 1965 and 1971 with valor and courage.


On October 7, 1998, he was promoted to the rank of chief of the army staff. Musharraf’s childhood period was spent in Turkey, as his father was appointed in Ankara.


General (retd) Pervez Musharraf joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961 and became a second lieutenant in 1964. During a war with India in 1965, Musharraf was among those officers who received a certificate of honour for their bravery. Musharraf served as a company commander in the Pakistan Army during the 1971 war with India.


He was promoted to the rank of major general in 1991. He became chief of army staff on October 7, 1998, and was appointed as chairman joint chief of staff on April 9, 1999.


On October 12, 1999, the then prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, sacked Musharraf and announced a new army chief, after which General (retd) Pervez Musharraf took over the reins of the country.


On June 20, 2001, Musharraf became president of the country. On April 30, a referendum was conducted in favour of Pervez Musharraf. In 2003, he faced two assassination attacks, but he remained safe, luckily.


Musharraf's book "In the Line of Fire" was released in September 2006. On August 18, 2008, he announced his resignation in an address to the nation.


Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said that the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC) General Sahir Shamshad, and tri-services chiefs expressed heartfelt condolences on the former army chief's demise.

"CJCSC and services chiefs express heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of General Pervez Musharraf, former president, CJCSC and chief of army staff. May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family," the military's media wing said.

While pouring in condolences, politicians expressed grief and sorrow on sad demise of the former president.