KARACHI: Former president and army chief General (retd) Pervez Musharraf will be laid to rest in Karachi today (Tuesday) after his funeral prayers, set to be held at Malir Cantonment’s Polo Ground.
The funeral prayers will be offered at 1:45pm after Zuhr.
Musharraf’s mortal remains were repatriated to Pakistan from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) via a special jet last night after several flight delays during the day.
Before being airlifted to Karachi, the body was given a ghusl (ritual washing and shrouding of the deceased ahead of burial) in Sonapur, Dubai, where he breathed his last at the age of 79.
The widow of the ex-army chief and their children also reached Pakistan with the body to offer the final rites of the deceased.
Upon arrival, the plane was parked near the old terminal at the airport. The body and the aggrieved family were then taken to their destination from the old terminal under tight security.
The bereaved family formally approached Pakistan’s consulate in Dubai on Sunday, seeking permission to shift the body.
The former president’s mother was buried in Dubai while his father was laid to rest in Karachi.
Musharraf passed away on Sunday. He had been under treatment for amyloidosis at the American Hospital in Dubai for a long time.
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz supremo Nawaz Sharif, and other politicians had prayed for the ex-president’s forgiveness. The former president had not returned to the country since 2016.
