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Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf died on Sunday in Dubai at the age of 79 after suffering a long illness. The former soldier came to power through a coup d’état in 1999. He declared himself president in June 2001 and ruled the country until 2008.
He was in charge of the country for nine years, a period in which Pakistan saw the economy grow, the middle class increase, the media being liberalized and the army in the process of appeasement with India.
Pervez Musharraf was one of the United States’ allies in the war against terrorism after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Following the attacks on the twin towers in the United States, Musharraf aligned positions with Washington, presenting himself then as a regional bulwark against Al-Qaida. He survived three assassination attempts by the terrorist organization.
The opposition criticized him for abuse of power and imposition of a state of emergency, in addition to pointing out the bloody attack on the Red Mosque in Islamabad in the summer of 2007.
Pervez Musharraf, who was born in Delhi on 11 August 1943, assumed command of the Army General Staff when he overthrew the civilian government of Nawas Sharif in October 1999. He declared himself President in June 2001, the last Pakistan’s military leader.
Musharraf suffered from amyloidosis and had been in Dubai since 2016 to receive medical treatment.