Pakistan’s former military ruler Pervez Musharraf dies aged 79

Pervez Musharraf (AP Photo/Zia Mazhar, File)

Pakistan’s former president General Pervez Musharraf has died at the age of 79, an official has said.

He was the military ruler who seized power in a bloodless coup and later led a reluctant Pakistan into aiding the US war in Afghanistan against the same Taliban fighters his nation murkily backed even as Islamic militants twice targeted him for assassination.