LAHORE: Pakistan’s jailed former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (Retd) Muhammad Safdar reached Lahore in early hours of Wednesday after they were released from Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi on a 12-hour parole to attend the funeral of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
Kulsoom, the wife of Sharif, died on Tuesday in London after a long battle with cancer. She was 68. Her body will be brought back to Lahore and buried in Jati Umra residence of the Sharif family.
Sharif and two others were transported to Jati Umra in a special plane from Nur Khan Airbase, Rawalpindi, in early hours of Wednesday after the Punjab government’s home department issued their release order for a 12-hour parole. The trio arrived at Lahore at 3.15 am on Wednesday.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb told PTI that Shahbaz Sharif had filed an application with the Punjab government requesting to release his elder brother Nawaz, niece Maryam and Safdar for five days on parole so that they could attend the last rituals of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.
She said the Punjab government did not entertain Shahbaz’s request for five days and only granted their release for 12 hours.
“We are hopeful that the government will extend the parole till the funeral of Begum Kulsoom to be held on Friday in Lahore,” Ms. Aurangzeb said, adding Mr. Shahbaz Sharif will leave for London on Wednesday to bring Kulsoom’s body back.
A senior official of the Punjab government also confirmed to PTI that the parole period would be extended till the last rituals of Kulsoom are performed in Lahore.
“Since Kulsoom’ body is scheduled to arrive here on Friday there is no point of not extending the parole period. The government has allowed Mr Sharif to attend the funeral prayer of his wife purely on humanitarian grounds,” the official said.
