Special flight brings Musharraf’s body home

DUBAI/KARACHI: The body of former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf has reached Karachi from Dubai after several delays in the flight.

The mortal remains of the ex-army chief departed from Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai at 8:11pm PST and landed at the Jinnah International Airport at around 9:51pm.

The special flight also carried the family members of the deceased. Aircraft A319 was assigned the task of bringing the last remains of the ex-army chief. The aircraft was given the “special flight” status.

Earlier on Monday, the body was given Ghusl (ritual washing and shrouding) and embalmed in Sonapur, Dubai. Musharraf passed away Sunday morning at the age of 79.

The bereaved family formally approached Pakistan’s consulate in Dubai on Sunday, seeking permission to shift the mortal remains of Musharraf to his homeland. Musharraf’s family announced in June 2022 that he had been hospitalized for weeks in Dubai while suffering from amyloidosis, an incurable condition in which proteins build up in the organs.

Musharraf had been living in self-imposed exile in Dubai since 2016 despite attempting a political comeback in 2013. But poor health plagued his last years. It is pertinent to mention that the former president’s mother was buried in Dubai while his father was laid to rest in Karachi.