PERVEZION OF JUSTICE
Former Pakistani despot/patriot hero (delete as applicable) Pervez Musharraf has died, rather uncharacteristically of natural causes, aged 79. A longtime general, his promotion to four-star general by then-PM Nawaz Sharif saw him lead the charge in the Kargil offensive against India that soon blossomed into a months-long war. Relations grew frosty between Musharraf and Sharif, prompting Musharraf to seize power via coup and begin his time in charge with even more spats with India.
Then came a little something called 9/11. You may have heard of it, especially with instructions that we are to Never Forget™. Musharraf saw the opportunity in the tragedy, and refashioned himself as the sensible, anti-terrorist voice of Pakistan reliably flanked at Dubya’s side. It worked for his image for a time, as did an increasingly conciliatory tone with India, but come 2007 his public perception reversed once again to shady corrupto. His suspension of the Pakistani Chief Justice further damaged his standing, as did the assassination of Benazir Bhutto he likely had a hand in by failing to provide adequate security, and by August 2008 he resigned.
Musharraf spent most of his final years exiled in Dubai, while receiving occasional indictments and death sentences in absentia. A popular DDP assassination punt in the aughts, he reached his crescendo with 48 picks in 2008 in the aftermath of the Bhutto assassination, before being mostly forgotten about as a pick after he left office. Reports that he was critically ill with amyloidosis last year increased deadpooler attention once more, albeit the suspicions of this being yet another Musharraf U-turn hampered any Drop 40 aspirations. It’s a coup for 15 teams who kept the faith a wonky ticker could do what terrorists couldn’t, including Deceased Hose, Droller Coaster, Evil Grimace, Stephen Hawking’s Football Boots, and Windsor the Troll.
Pervez Musharraf
11 August 1943 – 5 February 2023, aged 79
15 TEAMS (💀💀💀💀💀💀💀 7 POINTS)