Hundreds attend Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf’s funeral

Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf was buried on Tuesday in his household’s hometown. Several politicians and authorities officers paid glowing tributes to him.

Karachi,UPDATED: Feb 8, 2023 08:45 IST

Military officers and others attend funeral prayer of Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf, in Karachi, Pakistan. (Image: Reuters)

By Associated Press: Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf was buried on Tuesday in his household’s hometown, the southern port metropolis of Karachi, a day after a particular aircraft transported his physique from the United Arab Emirates the place he died on the weekend.

About 2,500 mourners — together with Musharraf’s household and kin, senior politicians and retired and serving army officers — attended the funeral at a army cemetery inside a high-security space in Karachi, the capital of southern Sindh province.

Musharraf, who died at age 79, seized energy in a cold coup in 1999 by ousting the elected authorities of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, whose youthful brother Shahbaz Sharif is now the nation’s prime minister.

Amir Muqam, a senior chief from Sharif’s celebration, attended the funeral. Musharraf’s coffin was draped within the nationwide flag in an indication of respect, although the ceremony was not a state funeral.

Gen. Sahir Shamshad Mirza, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, and former military chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa, additionally attended.

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“Gen. Pervez Musharraf always put the interests of Pakistan first, and he even put his life at risk by waging a war against militancy,” Moinuddin Haider, a retired military basic, informed reporters.

Several politicians and authorities officers additionally paid glowing tributes to Musharraf.

During his tenure as president, Musharraf made Pakistan a key ally of Washington within the battle on terror after the Sept. 11, 2001 assaults within the United States. That angered Pakistani and international militants who at the least twice tried to assassinate him within the metropolis of Rawalpindi in 2003, however he escaped unharmed.

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Musharraf misplaced his grip on energy in 2008 when the celebration of former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan People’s Party, defeated his longtime political allies in parliamentary elections. Zardari later pressured him to resign. The new authorities instigated a treason case in opposition to Musharraf — however allowed him to depart the nation on bail to journey to Dubai within the UAE in 2016 for medical remedy whereas the proceedings had been underway.

Musharraf remained in Dubai after being sentenced to loss of life for treason at residence in 2019, though the loss of life penalty was later overturned by one other court docket.

However, Prime Minister Sharif’s authorities final 12 months mentioned Musharraf wouldn’t be arrested if his household needed to deliver him again residence. But Musharraf’s medical doctors and his household mentioned satisfactory medical remedy for him was unavailable in Pakistan.

ALSO READ | Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf to be buried in Karachi’s Army Cantonment space

Published On:

Feb 8, 2023