Pervez Musharraf

Pervez Musharraf
Musharraf in 2004
Pervez Musharraf
Born	11 8, 1943
Birthplace	Delhi, British India
Died	Template:Death date and age Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Nationality	Pakistani
Occupation	Military officer, politician
Known for	10th President of Pakistan, 1999 military coup, Kargil War, role in the War on Terror
Awards	Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military), Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), Tamgha-e-Basalat

Pervez Musharraf (11 August 1943 – 5 February 2023) was a Pakistani military officer and politician who served as the tenth President of Pakistan from 2001 to 2008. Born in Delhi during the final years of British colonial rule, Musharraf rose through the ranks of the Pakistan Army to become a four-star general and was appointed Chief of Army Staff and later Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee by Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998. He was the principal architect of the Kargil War between Pakistan and India in 1999, and when Sharif attempted to dismiss him from his command assignments in the aftermath of that conflict, the Army's General Headquarters intervened and seized control of the civilian government. Musharraf subsequently proclaimed himself chief executive of Pakistan under martial law, and in 2001 he formally assumed the presidency through a legal order and a national referendum. His presidency was marked by Pakistan's central role in the American-led War on Terror following the September 11 attacks, an ambitious program of economic liberalisation and privatisation, and a social policy platform he called "enlightened moderation." However, his tenure was also defined by rising economic inequality, persistent religiously motivated terrorism, allegations of fundamental rights violations, and a dramatic constitutional crisis in 2007 when he suspended the writ of the constitution and attempted to remove the Chief Justice of Pakistan. He resigned the presidency in August 2008 to avoid impeachment, and spent his final years in self-imposed exile in Dubai, where he died at the age of 79 after a prolonged illness caused by amyloidosis.

Early Life

Pervez Musharraf was born on 11 August 1943 in Delhi, then part of British India, during the final years of colonial rule on the subcontinent. His family was among the millions of Muslims who migrated from India to the newly created state of Pakistan during the Partition of India in 1947. The Musharraf family settled in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city and initial capital, where young Pervez spent his formative years.

Musharraf grew up in a middle-class family with roots in the Urdu-speaking Muhajir community, a demographic group comprising Muslims who had migrated from various parts of India to Pakistan at the time of Partition. His upbringing in Karachi, a cosmopolitan and ethnically diverse city, shaped many of his later political positions, including his self-described commitment to moderate Islam and social liberalism.

As a young man, Musharraf was drawn to military service. He enrolled in the Pakistan Military Academy at Kakul, where he received his military training and was commissioned as an officer in the Pakistan Army. His military career would span several decades and see him rise through every major tier of the armed forces' hierarchy. Before entering the political arena, Musharraf served in multiple capacities within the Army, including in artillery units and special forces, gaining experience in both conventional military operations and commando warfare.

His early military career included service during the Indo-Pakistani War of 1965, an experience that further cemented his commitment to the armed forces and his views on Pakistan's strategic rivalry with India. These experiences during his formative years in the military would later inform his approach to the Kargil conflict in 1999 and his broader defence policy as head of state.

Career

Military Career and Rise to Chief of Army Staff

Pervez Musharraf's career in the Pakistan Army was distinguished by a steady ascent through the ranks over several decades. He served in a variety of command and staff appointments, building a reputation within the military establishment. His assignments included service in artillery regiments and with the elite Special Services Group (SSG), Pakistan's premier commando force.

In October 1998, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif appointed Musharraf as Chief of Army Staff, superseding several more senior generals. Sharif also subsequently designated him as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, making Musharraf the most powerful figure in Pakistan's military hierarchy. The appointment was viewed by many observers as a strategic decision by Sharif, who believed Musharraf would be a compliant and loyal military chief. This calculation proved to be a significant miscalculation.

The Kargil War (1999)

Musharraf was identified as the leading architect of the Kargil War, a military conflict between Pakistan and India that erupted in the spring and summer of 1999 in the Kargil district of Jammu and Kashmir. The conflict involved the infiltration of Pakistani soldiers and militants across the Line of Control into positions on the Indian side of the disputed territory. When India launched a military operation to recapture the positions, the conflict escalated into a significant military confrontation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours.

The Kargil War ended with Pakistani forces withdrawing from the occupied positions, following intense international diplomatic pressure, particularly from the United States. The conflict was widely seen as a strategic and diplomatic failure for Pakistan, and it created deep tensions between Musharraf and Prime Minister Sharif. Sharif subsequently blamed Musharraf for the military adventure, while Musharraf and the military establishment countered that Sharif had been fully briefed on and had approved the operation.

1999 Military Coup

The fallout from the Kargil War set the stage for one of the most consequential events in Pakistan's political history. On 12 October 1999, while Musharraf was aboard a commercial Pakistan International Airlines flight returning from Sri Lanka, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to dismiss him from his position as Chief of Army Staff and replace him with the director-general of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).

The Army's General Headquarters at Rawalpindi refused to accept the dismissal order. Senior military commanders moved swiftly to take control of key government buildings, the state television broadcaster, and airports. Sharif's government was deposed in a bloodless military coup, and the prime minister was placed under arrest. Musharraf's aircraft, which had reportedly been denied permission to land at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi on Sharif's orders, was eventually allowed to land after the military secured the airport.

Sharif was subsequently charged with hijacking and terrorism in connection with the alleged attempt to prevent Musharraf's plane from landing, charges that were widely criticised by opposition parties and civil society groups as politically motivated. Following a trial, Sharif was convicted and sentenced, but was later allowed to go into exile in Saudi Arabia as part of a negotiated arrangement.

Musharraf proclaimed himself Chief Executive of Pakistan, suspended the constitution, and imposed a state of emergency. He placed the country under military rule but did not formally declare martial law, instead describing his takeover as a necessary intervention to save Pakistan from economic collapse, sectarian violence, and political corruption.

Presidency (2001–2008)

Assumption of the Presidency

In June 2001, Musharraf formally assumed the office of President of Pakistan through a legal order, sidelining the sitting president, Muhammad Rafiq Tarar. He later sought public endorsement through a national referendum held in 2002, in which he claimed an overwhelming mandate to continue as president for five years. The referendum was criticized by opposition parties, international observers, and civil liberties organizations as neither free nor fair. However, his position was constitutionally confirmed in 2004 following a vote of confidence by the electoral college, under the terms of the Seventeenth Amendment to the Constitution of Pakistan, which retroactively validated many of his previous actions and allowed him to hold the dual offices of president and chief of army staff simultaneously.

War on Terror

The September 11 attacks in 2001 fundamentally transformed Musharraf's presidency and Pakistan's geopolitical position. Musharraf aligned Pakistan with the United States in the American-led War on Terror, reversing Pakistan's previous policy of support for the Taliban regime in Afghanistan. This decision brought significant economic and military aid from Washington but also generated intense domestic opposition, particularly from religious political parties and elements within the military and intelligence establishment who had long cultivated ties with the Taliban and other Islamist militant groups.

Pakistan provided the United States with intelligence cooperation, access to military bases and airspace, and logistical support for operations in Afghanistan. In exchange, the country received billions of dollars in military and economic assistance. Musharraf framed his decision as a pragmatic choice that served Pakistan's national interests and prevented the country from being targeted alongside the Taliban regime.

Despite this alliance, Musharraf's presidency struggled to contain religiously motivated terrorism and violence within Pakistan itself. Suicide bombings, sectarian attacks, and insurgencies in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA) and Balochistan intensified during his tenure. The government conducted multiple military operations in the tribal areas, which resulted in significant civilian casualties and displacement, further fuelling anti-government sentiment.

Economic and Social Policies

On the economic front, Musharraf's presidency pursued an aggressive program of privatisation and economic liberalisation, primarily implemented through the premiership of Shaukat Aziz, a former Citibank executive whom Musharraf installed as prime minister in 2004. Prior to Aziz, Zafarullah Khan Jamali served as prime minister under Musharraf's sponsorship. The privatisation drive and broader economic reforms resulted in a sharp rise in Pakistan's overall gross domestic product (GDP), and the country experienced notably high growth rates during the mid-2000s.

However, the benefits of this economic growth were unevenly distributed. With continued bans on trade unions and a decline in social security provisions, economic inequality rose at a rapid rate during the Musharraf era. Critics argued that the GDP growth figures masked deepening poverty among large segments of the population, while a narrow elite captured a disproportionate share of the economic gains.

On social issues, Musharraf promoted a platform he termed "enlightened moderation," which sought to position Pakistan as a modern, tolerant Muslim-majority state. This program included measures to expand media freedoms — Pakistan's private television sector grew enormously under his tenure — promote women's rights, and curb the influence of religious extremist groups in education and public life. However, critics noted that these liberal social policies often existed in tension with Musharraf's authoritarian governance style and his reliance on political alliances with religious parties to maintain parliamentary support.

Constitutional Crisis and Downfall

The most consequential crisis of Musharraf's presidency began in March 2007, when he attempted to remove Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, the Chief Justice of Pakistan, from office. The move provoked a massive backlash from the legal community and civil society, sparking what became known as the Lawyers' Movement, a sustained campaign of protests and demonstrations demanding the restoration of an independent judiciary.

The Supreme Court reinstated Chief Justice Chaudhry in July 2007, dealing a significant blow to Musharraf's authority. The legal challenges to his presidency mounted as the Supreme Court began hearing petitions challenging the validity of his re-election as president while still holding the office of army chief.

In September 2007, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif attempted to return to Pakistan from exile, but was arrested upon arrival at Islamabad International Airport and subsequently deported to Saudi Arabia.

On 3 November 2007, facing the prospect of an adverse Supreme Court ruling on his presidential eligibility, Musharraf declared a state of emergency and suspended the constitution. He dismissed the Supreme Court justices, imposed restrictions on the media, and arrested thousands of lawyers, human rights activists, and opposition politicians. The suspension of the constitution and the imposition of emergency rule drew widespread condemnation both domestically and internationally, and marked the beginning of the rapid unravelling of Musharraf's grip on power.

In the general elections held in February 2008, parties allied with Musharraf suffered a decisive defeat, while the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) of the recently assassinated Benazir Bhutto and the Pakistan Muslim League (N) of Nawaz Sharif won commanding mandates. The new coalition government moved to initiate impeachment proceedings against Musharraf. Facing certain removal from office, Musharraf resigned the presidency on 18 August 2008.

Post-Presidency and Exile

After resigning the presidency, Musharraf left Pakistan and took up residence in London and later Dubai. He founded a political party, the All Pakistan Muslim League (APML), and expressed his intention to return to Pakistani politics.

In March 2013, Musharraf returned to Pakistan with the stated aim of participating in the upcoming general election. However, his return was met with legal challenges rather than political triumph. Courts barred him from standing as a candidate, and multiple lawsuits were filed against him in Pakistan's high courts. These cases alleged his involvement in the assassinations of Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, the Baloch nationalist leader killed in a 2006 military operation, and former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated in December 2007.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who had returned to power following the 2013 elections, instructed his administration to open an inquiry and filed proceedings in the Supreme Court regarding Musharraf's suspension of the constitution in 2007. Musharraf was placed under a form of house arrest and was barred from leaving the country for a period.

In 2014, citing failing health, Musharraf left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment. Pakistani courts subsequently declared him an "absconder" in the Bugti and Bhutto assassination cases by virtue of his departure from the country and failure to appear before the courts.

In December 2019, a special court in Pakistan found Musharraf guilty of high treason for his 2007 suspension of the constitution and imposed a sentence of death in absentia. The verdict was historic — the first time a former military ruler of Pakistan had been convicted of treason. Musharraf challenged the ruling, and in January 2020, the Lahore High Court set aside the special court's verdict on procedural grounds, though the case remained a matter of ongoing legal dispute.

Personal Life

Pervez Musharraf was married to Sehba Musharraf. The couple had two children. Musharraf was known for his relatively Westernized personal lifestyle, which included an affinity for music and dogs — personal details that were sometimes noted in media profiles as symbolic of his self-described commitment to moderation and secularism in Pakistani society.

In his later years, Musharraf suffered from serious health problems. He was diagnosed with amyloidosis, a rare condition in which abnormal proteins accumulate in organs and tissues, impairing their function. His health deteriorated significantly during his years of exile in Dubai, and he was hospitalised on multiple occasions.

Pervez Musharraf died on 5 February 2023 in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at the age of 79, after a prolonged battle with amyloidosis. His death drew mixed reactions in Pakistan: supporters remembered him as a moderniser who brought economic growth and attempted to steer the country toward moderation, while critics recalled his authoritarian rule, the constitutional violations, and the political instability that accompanied his departure from power.

Recognition

During his military career and presidency, Musharraf received several Pakistani military honours, including the Nishan-e-Imtiaz (Military) — Pakistan's highest civil award — the Hilal-e-Imtiaz (Military), and the Tamgha-e-Basalat.

Musharraf was featured prominently in international media throughout his tenure as president. Time magazine profiled him on multiple occasions, particularly in the context of his role in the War on Terror and his relationship with the United States. His presidency was the subject of extensive coverage by the BBC, Reuters, and other international news organisations, reflecting the global significance of Pakistan's political trajectory during his years in power.

His autobiography, In the Line of Fire: A Memoir, published in 2006, became an international bestseller. In the book, Musharraf presented his account of the events leading to the 1999 coup, the Kargil War, and his decision to join the War on Terror after the September 11 attacks.

Despite his military honours and international prominence, Musharraf's recognition was tempered by the treason conviction handed down by the special court in 2019, which represented a historic judicial rebuke of military intervention in Pakistan's political system.

Legacy

Pervez Musharraf's legacy in Pakistan remains deeply contested. Supporters credit him with presiding over a period of significant economic growth, expanding media freedoms by allowing the proliferation of private television channels, and pursuing a modernising social agenda through his enlightened moderation program. Under his presidency, Pakistan's GDP grew at some of the highest rates in the country's history, and the telecommunications and media sectors underwent transformative expansion.

However, critics point to the fundamental contradiction at the heart of his rule: a military dictator who spoke the language of liberalism and moderation while suspending the constitution, dismissing judges, restricting political freedoms, and relying on authoritarian methods to maintain power. The 2007 constitutional crisis, in which he suspended the writ of the constitution and dismissed the judiciary, is viewed by many legal scholars and political analysts as one of the most damaging episodes in Pakistan's constitutional history.

His role in the Kargil War remains a subject of debate among military historians and strategic analysts in both Pakistan and India. The conflict, which brought two nuclear-armed states to the brink of a wider war, is generally assessed as a strategic miscalculation that isolated Pakistan diplomatically and strengthened India's position on the Kashmir dispute.

Musharraf's alignment with the United States in the War on Terror brought Pakistan substantial financial assistance but also drew the country deeper into a cycle of militancy and counter-insurgency operations that continued long after his departure from office. The tribal areas of Pakistan became a major theatre of conflict, and the rise of the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) during and after his presidency posed an existential security challenge to the Pakistani state.

The treason conviction in 2019, though later set aside on procedural grounds, established a significant legal precedent in Pakistan — that military rulers could be held accountable for unconstitutional actions. Whether this precedent will have lasting implications for civil-military relations in Pakistan remains a subject of active debate.

Musharraf's death in exile in 2023 closed a turbulent chapter in Pakistan's political history. He remains one of the most polarising figures in the country's post-independence narrative — celebrated by some as a reformist leader who attempted to modernise a complex and troubled nation, and condemned by others as a military autocrat whose actions undermined democratic governance and the rule of law.