After a protracted illness, former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf passed yesterday at the age of 79 in a hospital in Dubai, according to his family.
The former military leader had amyloidosis, a rare condition brought on by the accumulation of an aberrant protein called amyloid in tissues and organs.
Musharaff a combative but controversial figure
Musharraf, a decorated soldier and a four star general of the Pakistan Army, became 10th President of Pakistan following government takeover in 1999. He was Pakistan’s Chief Executive from October 1999 to November 2002 and its President from June 2001 to August 2008. .He assumed power by ousting the then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharrief who had sacked him for planning and implementing infiltration in Kargil in 1999.
Mussarff had ruled Pakistan for nearly a decade and also served as 10th Chairman Joint Chief’s of Staff Committee and 7th Pakistan Army Chief from 1998 to 2007.
He was, however, wanted for treason for suspending the Constitution in 2007 and had fled to Dubai in March 2016. He was also wanted for the death of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and the Red Mosque cleric killing.
Early life of Pervez Musharraf
Pervez Musharraf was born in New Delhi in 1943 and was four years old when his parents joined the mass exodus by Muslims during partition to the newly created state of Pakistan.
He enlisted at the age of 18. He took over as Army Chief of the Pakistani Army and staged a military coup to overthrow the civilian government.
However, in his rule he oversaw rapid economic growth of the Pakistani Economy and attempted to usher in socially liberal values in the conservative country.
Mussaraf : Love Hate relationship with India
Musharraf had love hate relationship with India. Many in India regard him as the mastermind of 1999 conflict in Kargil and also suspect that he had a hand in the hijacking of an Indian Airlines Plane.
Peacenik Vajpayee stung by Musharaff’s Machiavellianism
Vajpeyeeji, wanted to leave a long lasting legacy of peace with Pakistan. He also initiated Delhi – Lahore Bus journey to talk peace with Nawaz Sharrief.
However, Pakistan’s incursion into the Kargil Heights, where regular Pakistani troops infiltrated on the Indian side while disguising themselves as mujahideen, doused his efforts.
There was concern in world capitals that India and Pakistan would soon engage in a nuclear exchange after India was caught off guard and had to react forcefully to drive the Pakistani soldiers out of the Kargil Heights.
Due to Washington’s pressure Pakistan relented and had to withdraw its Mujahideen and regular troops from the Kargil heights.
Serious backchannel conversations to address the Kashmir issue were started by both parties after Musharraf took over Pakistan by toppling Nawaz Sharrief.
There was also a high profile talks in Agra , which was marred by Mussaraff’s grand standing and high drama which had ensued . There were prolonged meetings between Vajpeyee and Musharraff and their foreign ministers but it led to two failed attempts at hammering out a joint agreement.
During the reign of Manmohan Singh, he also walked an extra mile to establish peace with Pakistan but he was let down badly by terror strike in Mumbai. Ten members of lashkare Toiba carried out coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days in Mumbai
Mussharaf : A Tactful General
In the early years of his rule Musharraff won acclaim for his reformist agenda, he was instrumental in pushing through legislation to protect the rights of women and allowing private news channels to operate for the first time.
Musharraf due to his tact made Pakistan , one of Washington’s most important allies after September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States and successfully lobbied then President George W Bush to pour money into the Pakistani Military.
Their were many attempts to assassinate Musharraff , first time it was in 2003, when his convoy was targeted , first with a bomb planted on a bridge and then with car bombs. However the second attack saw Musharraf’s vehicle lifted into the air by the blast before touching the ground again. It raced to safety on just its rims, Musharraf pulling out a Glock pistol in case he needed to fight his way out.
Authoritarian Streak lets him down
In the later years his Presidency was marred by his increasing penchant for imposing authoritarian rule. He conducted a flawed election, changed the Constitution of Pakistan , which gave him sweeping power to sack the Prime Minister and the President. He also reneged on the promise to stand down as the Army Chief by end of 2004.
In 2006,Musharaf ordered Military to take out and kill a tribal chief in the province of Baluchistan , which has laid the foundation for armed insurgency in Baluchistan which rages on to this day.
2007 was a turbulent year for Musharraf, exiled Pakistan People’s Party leader returned to Pakistan after self-imposed exile to reorganize her party. However, she was assassinated in a suicide attack, which triggered waves of violence in the country. He was declared a fugitive in the Benazir Bhutto murder case and Red Mosque cleric killing case. Musharraf’s attempt to intimidate judiciary also led to protests and a besieged leader postponed elections and declared a state of emergency in Pakistan.
After 11 long years, enjoying the pelf of power, Musharraf ordered country’s first democratic election in 2008.In this election, Musharraf’s party was wiped out. New Parliament when it was constituted impeached Musharraf. Following this he resigned from Presidency and fled to London.
He later returned to Pakistan in 2013 to run for a seat in parliament but was immediately disqualified. He was allowed to leave for Dubai in 2016.In 2019, a court sentenced him to death in absentia for 2007 imposition of emergency rule , but the verdict was later overtunrned.
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