Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan’s exiled former military ruler, died in a Dubai hospital on Sunday at the age of 79, the army said.
Musharraf seized power in a bloodless coup in 1999 and was serving as Pakistan’s army chief, chief executive, and president at the time of the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
During Washington’s invasion of neighboring Afghanistan, the general became its most important regional ally, surviving several assassination attempts by militants.
“Pakistan’s decision under Musharraf to join the war against terror turned out to be a boon,” analyst Hasan Askari told AFP, citing the influx of aid linked to his decision to back the US.
