Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf.

Photo: File.

The former president and head of the Pakistan Armed Forces, General Pervez Musharraf, died Sunday in a Dubai hospital after a long illness, as confirmed by the Pakistani Army.

In the announcement, the military entity "expresses its heartfelt condolences on the sad death of General Pervez Musharraf."

Born on August 11, 1943, Musharraf graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy on April 19, 1961 and entered the Pakistani Army in 1964.

He was appointed head of the Armed Forces in 1998, before seizing power from the civilian government on October 12, 1999, later being elected president through a referendum in 2002 and ruling the country until 2008.

According to local media reports, his body will be transferred to Pakistan for his funeral and burial.

(With information from Xinhua)