Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom suffers cardiac arrest in UK

Former Pakistan prime minister Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom suffered a cardiac arrest in the UK, where she has been undergoing treatment for throat cancer.

Her husband Nawaz and daughter Maryam were on their way to the UK when Kulsoom suffered a cardiac arrest. The 68-year-old was shifted to the intensive care unit of the London hospital late Thursday night after her condition deteriorated.

"Ami had a sudden cardiac arrest when we were on the flight and is in ICU and on the ventilator since," Maryam tweeted.

According to the Express Tribune, Kulsoom has not regained consciousness ever since she was admitted to the hospital on Wednesday.

Shehbaz Sharif, Nawaz's brother, has requested the nation to join him in prayers for Kulsoom's speedy recovery. "As the Holy Month of Ramadan comes to an end, I ask my compatriots to join me in prayers for her speedy recovery. The power of prayer is paramount," he tweeted.

Nawaz could not travel to London earlier as he was facing trial for corruption stemming from the Panama Papers scandal. He has denied any wrongdoing.

A group of lawyers defending Nawaz in the corruption trial recently quit in protest against a court deadline that they say is too close to national elections.

Nawaz was removed as prime minister in 2017 by Pakistan's Supreme Court for allegedly hiding overseas assets. He faces charges of money laundering, tax evasion and building off-shore assets.

The trial, which was scheduled to conclude this week, has been extended to July 10, which is just a fortnight ahead of parliamentary elections.

"We have decided not to pursue the trial because our request for an indefinite extension was rejected," Sharif's chief lawyer Khawaja Haris told reporters on Monday.