Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Caption (retd) Muhammad Safdar reached Lahore on Wednesday (12) to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
They were released from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi on a 12-hour parole.
Kulsoon, the wife of Sharif, died on Tuesday (11) after a long battle with cancer. The 68-year-old’s body will be brought buried in Jati Umra Lahore residence of the Sharif family.
She was diagnosed with lymphoma (throat) cancer in August last year and had been in London since, where she underwent multiple surgeries and at least five chemotherapy sessions. She was placed on a ventilator in June following a cardiac arrest.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb told Press Trust of India (PTI) that Shahbaz Sharif, Nawaz’s brother, had filed an application with the Punjab government requesting to release of the trio for five days so they could attend the last rituals of Kulsoom. However, the Punjab government granted their release for only 12 hours.
“We are hopeful that the government will extend the parole till the funeral of Begum Kulsoom to be held on Friday (14) in Lahore,” Aurangzeb said.
Meanwhile, Shahbaz on Wednesday (12) left for London to bring back the body of his sister-in-law.
The funeral prayers of Kulsoom will be offered at the Regent Park mosque on Thursday (13) afternoon and her body will be flown to Lahore after completion of legal formalities, Geo News reported.
