Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf dies at 79 after prolonged illness

The Pakistani military media wing ISPR confirmed the news in a statement, expressing “heartfelt condolences on the sad demise of General Pervez Musharaf, former president, CJCSC and Chief of Army Staff.”

“May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family,” it read.

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."

There was no official communication if his mortal remains will be brought back to Pakistan.

However, according to The Guardian quoting a Pakistani TV channel, a special flight will be made to Dubai on Monday to bring Musharraf’s body back to Pakistan for burial, local TV channel Geo News reported.

Musharraf's family had last year tweeted from his official account that "recovery is not possible".

The family issued the clarification after reports that the former Pakistan President was kept on a ventilator.

However, his family had denied this, saying that his organs were malfunctioning because of an ailment called amyloidosis.

This disease affects connective tissues and organs, inhibiting normal functioning.

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.