Former Pakistani dictator General Pervez Musharraf died on Sunday at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness in Dubai.
Musharraf occupied power in Pakistan after dethroning the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif through a military coup in 1999.
A statement from the Pakistani Army read, “May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family.”
He ruled Pakistan as a president between 2001 and 2008 before leaving the country. In November 2007, Musharraf imposed a state of emergency in the country, suspended Pakistan’s constitution, replaced the chief judge, and banned independent TV channels in a bid to curb free speech.
He briefly returned to Pakistan to enter electoral politics again in 2013 but he was arrested by authorities and barred from contesting.
Musharraf was later charged with high treason and sentenced to death in absentia. However, this was later overturned.
He left Pakistan for Dubai in 2016 reportedly for medical treatment.
