Former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf is reportedly fighting for his life with a rare disease called Amyloidosis, with his recovery from the illness looking increasingly unlikely.

Musharraf, who has been living in Dubai since 2016, served as the President of Pakistan between 2001 and 2008, a reign that ended unceremoniously, with the 78-year-old being tried and convicted of high treason and sentenced to death.

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Military career:

Born in New Delhi in 1943, Musharraf moved to Pakistan along with his family in 1947 after the Partition.

The son of a career diplomat, Musharraf lived in Turkey for a brief spell during his childhood. He graduated from the Army Command and Staff College in Quetta, Pakistan, and attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, before joining the Pakistani Army in 1964.

Musharraf held various posts in the army, including various posts with the the artillery, the infantry, and commando units, and also fought in Pakistan’s two wars with India, in 1965 and 1971.

Musharraf went on to teach at the Staff College in Quetta and in the War Wing of the National Defence College in Islamabad, before moving on to a career in politics.

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Political career:

After climbing ranks in the army, Musharraf was appointed as the army chief by then Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, but the relationship between the two deteriorated quickly, resulting in a coup in 1999 that saw Musharraf assume power.

Musharraf was sworn in as President in 2001, but retained his post with the army. A year later, the 78-year-old won a controversial referendum that extended his tenure by another five years.

However, Musharraf’s position as the leader of Pakistan faced increasing resistance as the years passed, and he was targeted by assassins on several occasions, managing to survive all assassination attempts.

In 2008, Musharraf resigned as President to avoid getting impeached, and has since been convicted of treason in Pakistan and sentenced to death for suspending the Constitution during his tenure in 2007.