Ex-Pakistanl leader dies at 79 after years of exile

He oversaw rapid growth while in power, but moves to quell dissent led to his downfall

ISLAMABAD Pakistan’s former president Pervez Musharraf died at the age of 79 on Sunday, following a prolonged illness, at a hospital in Dubai, after years in self-imposed exile.

Pakistan’s military and the country’s mission in the United Arab Emirates announced the death of the former army chief, who was pushed from power in 2008.

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, President Arif Alvi and the chiefs of Pakistan’s army, navy and air force each expressed condolences on his death.

A special flight will be made to Dubai on Monday to bring Mr Musharraf’s body back to Pakistan for burial, reported local TV channel Geo News.

The former four-star general, who seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999, oversaw rapid economic growth and attempted to usher in socially liberal values in the conservative Muslim country.

He enjoyed strong support for many years, despite facing the threat of Al-Qaeda and other militant Islamists who tried to kill him at least three times.

But his heavy-handed use of the military to quell dissent, as well as his continued backing of the United States in its fight against AlQaeda and Afghanistan’s Taliban, ultimately led to his downfall.

“He is called a military dictator, but there has never been a stronger democratic system than that under him,’ said former close Musharraf aide Fawad Chaudhry, a leader of former prime minister Imran Khan’s party.

“He gave Pakistan a free media and he stressed on diversity of opinion in Pakistan,” Mr Chaudhry said in a video message.