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Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan's former military ruler and architect of Kargil War dies in Dubai

Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 05 Feb 2023, 06:14 am Print

Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan's former military ruler and architect of Kargil War dies in Dubai

Image: Wikimedia Commons

Dubai: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, who had seized power in the South Asian nation in a bloodless coup in 1999 and lived years in exile, died at the American Hospital in UAE's Dubai on Sunday after suffering from prolonged illness.

He was 79.

He had served as the chief of the country's Army staff .

The Consulate General of Pakistan, Dubai, has issued a no objection certificate (NOC) for the repatriation of the body of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf. In order to repatriate the body, a no objection certificate is required from the Consulate General of Pakistan, reports Khaleej Times.

“We are in touch with the family and the consulate will facilitate in whatever way it can, the consulate has issued the no objection certificate,” Hassan Afzal Khan, Consul-General at the Pakistan Consulate, Dubai, confirmed to Khaleej Times on Sunday.

Sources close to the family member told Khaleej Times that the former president's family is planning and working to fly Musharraf’s body back to Pakistan. However, a final decision will be formally announced shortly.

“The family intends to take his body to Pakistan. Since he was a former president and army chief, his body would be flown back to his home country,” sources said.

Facing charges back home for the assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto in 2007, Musharraf has been living in exile in Dubai for the last seven years.

Musharraf was the tenth president of the South Asian nation after the successful military coup in 1999.

He served as the 10th Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee of Pakistan (CJCSC) from 1998 to 2001 and the 7th top general from 1998 to 2007.

Musharraf and the Kargil War

It is well known that the Kargil War of 1999 between India and Pakistan was owing to the personal ambition of Gen Musharraf as Pakistan army chief then. Between March and May in 1999, Pakistani intrusions in the Kargil district of Ladakh (then Jammu and Kashmir state) were at the order of Musharraf  leading to the war.

Responding to the Pakistani intrusions, the Indian Army led operations on 3 May 1999, and within three months, removed the Pakistani troops from the Kargil heights, thus comprehensively winning the war on 26 July 1999.

Then prime minister Nawaz Sharif, whom Musharraf removed from power by a coup, had to pull out troops from Kargil. The Kargil conflict had also created a conflict between Musharraf and Nawaz Sharif after the latter denied any knowledge of the plans of the Army.

In the 1999 military takeover in Pakistan by General Pervez Musharraf, the elected Prime Minister -Nawaz Sharif- was removed  on Oct 12, 1999 and put behind bars.  Musharraf thus assumed control of the government as chief executive.

Reactions:

PM Shehbaz Sharif condoled the death of Musharraf and tweeted: " I offer my condolences to the family of General (rtd) Pervez Musharraf. May the departed soul rest in peace!"

Ex-PM Nawaz Sharif also condoled his death by posting his message on Twitter.