Historical report: Former Pakistan president and army chief Pervez Musharraf died at a hospital in Dubai on February 5, 2023, after a prolonged illness. He was 79.

Condolences after his death

Following confirmation of his death, Pakistan's political and military leadership issued condolence messages. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif offered condolences to Musharraf's family, while Pakistan's armed forces also expressed condolences.

The messages reflected the official response to the death of a former president and former chief of army staff.

Musharraf's military and political career

Musharraf was a four-star general and served as Pakistan's chief of army staff. He took power in October 1999 after a military coup that removed the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

He later served as president of Pakistan and became a prominent international figure after the September 11, 2001 attacks, when his government aligned Pakistan with the United States in its campaign against al-Qaeda and the Taliban in Afghanistan.

His years in power remain a contested part of Pakistan's political history. Supporters credited his government with periods of economic growth and some social reforms, while critics pointed to military rule, restrictions on political opponents and the 2007 state of emergency.

Later years

Musharraf resigned as president in 2008. He later faced legal proceedings in Pakistan and moved to Dubai in 2016 for medical treatment, remaining there for the later years of his life.

His death in 2023 prompted condolences as well as renewed discussion of a political and military legacy that continues to be viewed differently across Pakistan.