London: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) supremo Altaf Hussain said that Pervez Musharraf was "prosecuted and discriminated" for suspending the Constitution as he was domicile of Karachi and a Mohajir.

Altaf Hussain issued a statement on the demise of former Pakistan army chief and President General Pervez Musharraf. He prayed for the departed soul and offered condolences to Musharraf's family.

Hussain said that many generals in Pakistan abrogated the constitution and slashed democracy by dismantling the constitution. However, only General Pervez Musharraf had to face the consequences. He stressed that such discrimination existed owing to the domicile.

"In Pakistan, many generals abrogated the constitution and slashed the democracy by dismantling the constitution, he said, adding that astonishingly, late General Pervez Musharraf had to face the consequences through the act of treason, imprisonment and exile alone under Article 6 for abrogating the constitution, lambasted the MQM supremo," Altaf Hussain said in a statement.

Hussain said that General Pervez Musharraf was not in Pakistan when the military had toppled the then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif-led government in 1999. He said that Musharraf was returning to Pakistan from a foreign trip.

He said that only Musharraf was prosecuted for suspending the constitution while no action was initiated against aiding generals who actually initiated and toppled Sharif's government. He said that the aides of General Pervez Musharraf, generals or the judges who approved the action of subverting and suspending the constitution were spared.

Altaf Hussain slammed the dual standards and stressed that this act of discrimination was owing to the difference in domicile between General Pervez Musharraf and other generals and judges. He stated that he was not justifying Musharraf's action of breaching the constitution. However, he was exposing the dual standards.

Pervez Musharraf, who had been living in Dubai since 2016, passed away on Sunday. His mortal remains will be brought to Pakistan for burial, The Express Tribune reported.

Musharraf was suffering from amyloidosis, a rare disease caused by a build-up of an abnormal protein called amyloid in organs and tissues throughout the body, The Express Tribune reported citing his family. The build-up of amyloid proteins can make it difficult for the organs and tissues to function properly.