Musharraf shifted home, family dismisses rumours of his death in Dubai

Jamil Khan, Senior Reporter

Pakistan’s former military ruler General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has shifted to his home after spending a couple of weeks in a American Hospital in Dubai as the rumours about his death gripped all over the media within the hours.

The family asked for prayers for Musharraf's health while denying local media reports back home that he is on a ventilator.

The 78-year-old former president was admitted in the American Hospital three weeks ago in Dubai due to the complications and still recovering.

On Friday afternoon, the rumours started circulating through different social media sites of Musharraf's passing.

Talking to the Gulf Today, a family friend and former Musharraf’s party office-barrier said that “now the General Sahib has been shifted o his residents in Dubai from American Hospital where he is still under the observations of medical experts.”

The family of Musharraf has dismissed the false media reports and issued a message said “He (Musharraf) is not on the ventilator. Has been hospitalized for the last 3 weeks due to a complication of his ailment (Amyloidosis). Going through a difficult stage where recovery is not possible and organs are malfunctioning. Pray for ease in his daily living.”

Not only Pakistani media outlets belong to different newspapers and TV channels shared the false report of Musharraf’s demise on their online portals but many took a step further and spread on various social media platforms.

Musharraf rose to national prominence when he was promoted to four-star general by the-then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif in 1998.

Musharraf became the head of the armed forces of Pakistan.

His decision to led the Kargil infiltration almost brought India and Pakistan to a full-fledged war in 1999.

According to sources, the Kargil operation was launched without the civilian government’s approval.

After hostile relation between Sharif and Musharraf, PML-N leader sought to remove him from power.

But the attempt was unsuccessful. In retaliation, the army staged a coup in 1999, which allowed Musharraf to take over Pakistan as president in 2001.

He subsequently placed Sharif under strict house arrest before launching official criminal proceedings against him.

Top officials of former PM Sharif, said that he had sought to derail talks with India through Kargil Operation.