Pervez Musharraf

former President, Pakistan

[Photo: Catherine Murphy] Retired General Pervez Musharraf (born 1943), was the 10th President of Pakistan and the Chief of Army Staff of the Pakistan Army. He took power on 12 October 1999, following a nonviolent military coup d'etat and subsequent ouster of the government of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. The military-led government stated its intention to restructure the political, economic and electoral systems. On May 12, 2000, Pakistan's 12 member Supreme Court unanimously validated the October 1999 coup and granted Musharraf executive and legislative authority for 3 years from the coup date. On 18 August 2008, Pervez Musharraf resigned from the post of President under impeachment pressure from the coalition government. He was succeeded on 6 September 2008 by Asif Ali Zardari duly elected as Pakistan's 11th President.