Pakistan's Shehbaz Sharif condoles demise of former PM Pervez Musharraf

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday condoled the demise of ex-chief of army staff and former President Pervez Musharraf.

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

Musharraf passed away on Sunday at American Hospital in UAE after a prolonged illness, reported Daily Pakistan.

Reacting to the news, 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.

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Senior Vice President Fawad Chaudhry offered his condolences, saying: "Musharraf was a great person [...], 'Pakistan first' was his theory and vision."

Former Punjab chief minister Parvez Elahi, while pouring in condolences, said that Musharraf's services to the Pakistan Army and the country cannot be forgotten, reported Geo News.

Expressing deep sorrow over the former president's death, Chairman Senate Muhammad Sadiq Sanjrani said that he shares his grief with the bereaved family.

Musharraf was the tenth president of Pakistan after the successful military coup in 1999. He served as the 10th CJCSC from 1998 to 2001 and the 7th top general from 1998 to 2007.

Local media reports quoting his family members said the former four-star general succumbed to Amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body. He was hospitalized for a couple of weeks due to a complication of his ailment, as per reports.

Musharraf has been living in Dubai since 2016 for the medical treatment.

Earlier, Musharraf expressed his desire to spend the "rest of his life" in his home country, local media reported.

The Express Tribune newspaper reported that the former president wanted to return to Pakistan as soon as possible.

Notably, Musharraf was Pakistan's army chief during the Kargil war between India and Pakistan. The conflict is believed to have been orchestrated by Musharraf without the knowledge of the then-Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

Musharraf remained the longest-serving president of Pakistan as he took over the country's reins. He was elected as the president through a referendum in 2002 and remained in office till 2008.

In 2004, he was elected as a president in uniform for five years via 17th Amendment in the Constitution of Pakistan.

Musharraf is also known for the anti-constitutional measures he took to depose the judges of the Supreme Court in November 2007, which marked the beginning of the Lawyers' Movement -- also known as the Movement for the Restoration of Judiciary.

Following a movement led by the political parties, Musharraf resigned as the president on August 18, 2008.

The former military ruler was sentenced to death by a special court on December 17, 2019, under Article 6 of the Constitution. A case of high treason was filed against him during Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) tenure.

Musharraf was present in the court on March 31, 2016, when he was indicted on the charges.

Later, he flew out of the country due to his illness. He did not return to Pakistan after leaving the country.