Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf is dead

According to the BBC, former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf passed away at the age of 79 following a protracted illness.

In the statement confirming the death, the Pakistani military said it expressed its “heartfelt condolences” and added: “May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to the bereaved family.”

In a coup in 1999, Mr. Musharraf, a military officer, took control. From 2001 to 2008, he served as president in a civilian capacity.

In addition to surviving many murder attempts while serving as the country's president, Mr. Musharraf also found himself in the middle of a conflict between militant Islamists and the West.

After 9/11, he supported the US "war on terror" despite domestic resistance as a George Bush government friend.

He lost the election in 2008 and fled the country six months later.

He went back to run for office in 2013 but was arrested and prevented from doing so. He was charged with high treason and given a death sentence in absentia, but less than a month later, the ruling was overturned.

In order to receive medical attention, he traveled from Pakistan to Dubai in 2016 and has since been living in exile there.