General Pervez Musharraf Dies: A Look at Former Pakistan President's Old Delhi Connection

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf died today after a prolonged illness.

New Delhi: Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf died today (February 5) after a prolonged illness. The four-star general -- who ruled Pakistan for nearly a decade after seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1999 -- was suffering from a rare disease known as amyloidosis and died aged 79 at a hospital in Dubai. 

The former Pakistan Army General was born in New Delhi in 1943. Musharraf was the second of three brothers and used to live at the Neharwali Haveli in Old Delhi's Daryaganj area.

The Haveli is now located behind Daryaganj's famous Golcha cinema.

While it is said that there are over 20 families living in the Haveli these days, the original structure had two parts and was occupied by two families.

As per media reports, Musharraf's grandmother Ameena Begum and her sister used to live in one portion, while his granduncles and Ameena's three brothers were the occupants of the other part. 

Ameena had reportedly got her portion from her father. 

Pervez Musharraf's family left India after partition in 1947

Musharraf was four-year-old when his family moved to the newly created state of Pakistan after the partition in 1947. 

Some media reports claim that Musharraf's family had left the Haveli in the custody of a Jain family.

From 1949 to 1956, Musharraf was in Turkey, as his father Syed Musharrafu-ud-din was posted in Ankara.

On his return from Turkey, Musharraf studied at Saint Patrick's High School, Karachi, and then at FC College, Lahore. 

Pervez Musharraf joined Pakistan Military Academy in 1961

Pervez Musharraf then joined the Pakistan Military Academy in 1961 and was commissioned into the Artillery Regiment in 1964.

He fought in the Indo-Pakistan War of 1965 as a young officer, and also participated in the Indo-Pak War of 1971 as a Company Commander in the Commando Battalion.

Musharraf rose to the rank of General and was appointed as the Chief of Army Staff on October 7, 1998, by then prime minister Sharif.

He was given additional charge of the Chairman Joint Chiefs Staff Committee on April 9, 1999. Six months later, he toppled the Nawaz Sharif government and became the head of the state designated as Chief Executive.