KARACHI: Attended by top military commanders, former chiefs of the armed forces and senior leaders of different political parties, the funeral prayers for former military ruler Pervez Musharraf were offered in Malir Cantt here on Tuesday, after which he was laid to rest in the Army Graveyard with full military honours.

Wrapped in a Pakistani flag, the casket was brou­ght by soldiers in a traditio­nal manner to the Polo Gro­­und in Malir Cantt, where a large number of peo­ple attended the funeral. They included military and civilian officials and relatives of the deceased gen­eral, said a brief statement issued by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR).

A close aide to retired Gen Musharraf said the funeral was also attended by former army and services chiefs. The ex-president was also presented a guard of honour. Floral wreaths were laid on his grave by officers of the three armed forces on behalf of their respective chiefs, he said.

“Former army chiefs Qamar Javed Bajwa, Ashfaq Parvez Kayani and Aslam Beg also attended the funeral prayer,” said Tahir Hussain, who has been Gen Musharraf`s spokesman in Karachi since the ex-ruler formed his party, the APML, in October 2010.

Leaders of political parties, including Khalid Maqbool Siddiqi, Dr Farooq Sattar and Mustafa Kamal of MQM-P, PML-N leader Amir Muqam, PTI leader and former Sindh governor Imran Ismail, former federal information minister Javed Jabbar, former Sindh chief minister Arbab Ghulam Rahim and former FBR chairman Shabbar Zaidi also attended the funeral.

The body was later moved in an army ambulance, accompanied by Sehba Musharraf, their son Bilal and daughter Aila, to the Army Graveyard near Chanesar Goth, adjacent to Kala Pull, where Gen Musharraf was laid to rest.

Gen Musharraf died at the age of 79 in Dubai on Sunday. His body was brou­ght to Pak­istan through a special plane.

Published in Dawn, February 8th, 2023