Pakistan's former president Pervez Musharraf has died after a prolonged illness at a hospital in Dubai, the army and local media said Sunday. Senior military chiefs "express heartfelt condolences on sad demise of General Pervez Musharraf", a brief statement released by the military's media wing said. "May Allah bless the departed soul and give strength to bereaved family." The general died in hospital in Dubai on Sunday morning, according to media reports and a senior security official who spoke to AFP. Musharraf was a four-star general who ruled Pakistan for nearly a decade after seizing power in a bloodless coup in 1999. In more than seven years in office, he oversaw a stint of economic growth while dodging at least three assassination attempts.