Special aircraft carrying Pervez Musharraf's remains lands in Karachi

Ex-military ruler's funeral prayers to be offered tomorrow; will be laid to rest at Karachi's Old Army graveyard

KARACHI:

A special aircraft carrying the mortal remains of former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf arrived from Dubai on Monday, landing at the Karachi airport's Terminal One.

His family arrvied with the former general's remains.

The ex-army chief will be laid to rest at the Old Army graveyard in the port city. His funeral prayers will be offered at Gul Muhar Polo Ground in Malir Cantt tomorrow (Tuesday) after Zuhr prayers, said a spokesman for Musharraf's political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML).

Musharraf, who had been living in Dubai since 2016, breathed his last on Sunday at the age of 79.

The former president was suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body, according to his family.

The build-up of amyloid proteins (deposits) can make it difficult for the organs and tissues to work properly.

The former ruler’s illness came to light in 2018 when the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), Musharraf’s party, announced that he was suffering from the rare disease.

Read When Musharraf almost struck a Kashmir deal

He leaves behind his widow, a son, and a daughter to mourn his demise.

Musharraf seized power in a 1999 bloodless coup and was acting simultaneously as Pakistan’s army chief, chief executive, and president when the 9/11 attacks on the US took place.

The general twice suspended the country's Constitution and was accused of rigging a referendum shoring up his power, as well as rampant rights abuses including rounding up opponents during his nearly nine-year rule.

Nonetheless, he became Washington’s chief regional ally during its invasion of neighbouring Afghanistan.

The decision -- made after the US issued a “for us or against us” ultimatum -- put him in the crosshairs of Islamist militants, who made several attempts on his life.

But it also earned Pakistan a huge influx of foreign aid which bolstered the economy.

Musharraf ruled Pakistan for nearly nine years, starting when then-prime minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to remove him as army chief, having appointed him above more senior officers a year earlier.