Mu·shar·raf, Per·vez /mʊˈʃærəf, pɜːˈvez $ -ˈʃɑːrəf, pɜːr-/ BrE AmE
(1943-) a Pakistani politician who became the Chief Executive (=head of government) in 1999 as the result of a COUP D'ETAT . In 2001 he gave himself the position of President of Pakistan. In November 2007 while the Supreme Court was considering whether Musharraf’s ↑ re-election as President in the October 2007 elections was ↑ valid , he put many judges and lawyers in prison, and ↑ declare ed a ↑ state of emergency which he ended in December 2007. He had a successful military career and became the Army Chief of Staff and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in 1998. He ↑ resign ed from the army in November 2007. Western countries have supported Musharraf since he has spoken against Islamic ↑ extremism and given his support to the War on Terrorism