Raiwind residence declared sub-jail as Sharifs' parole extended to 5 days

Incarcerated Sharif family members were earlier granted a 12-hour parole

LAHORE: Punjab government on Wednesday extended for five days parole of the jailed members of Sharif family so that they may attend funeral prayers and ‘Qul’ of the former first lady Kulsoom Nawaz, who died of cancer in London on Tuesday and will be laid to rest at Sharif’s family graveyard on Friday.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief and Kulsoom’s brother-in-law, Shehbaz Sharif, who left for London in early hours of Wednesday on a commercial fight arrived at the UK’s capital to receive Kulsoom’s dead body and to bring it back to Pakistan.

Prior to dispatching her coffin to Pakistan, Kulsoom Nawaz’s funeral prayers will also first be held at the Regent Park in London on Thursday (today) between 1-2 pm.



The funeral prayers will be attended by Kulsoom family members especially her sons, Hassan and Hussain, who will not come to Pakistan due to ongoing corruption cases against them. After the funeral prayers, the body will be brought to Pakistan via a PIA flight that will reach Lahore at 5:45 am on Friday.

Shehbaz Sharif will return to Pakistan along with Asma Nawaz, former PM Nawaz Sharif’s second daughter and other close family members. In Pakistan her funeral prayers would be held on Friday at around 5 after Asar prayers at the Sharif Medical City in Raiwand.

Reportedly, the funeral prayers would be led by famous religious scholar Maulana Tariq Jameel. She would be laid to rest at Jati Umrah in her family graveyard, which also has graves of Nawaz Sharif’s father, Mian Muhammad Sharif, and brother, Abbas Sharif.

Her ‘Qul’ or special prayers would be held on Sunday in between Asar to Magrib.

Former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam and his son-in-law Captain (retd) Safdar – who are serving time after their conviction in a graft case – were released in early hours of Tuesday on 12 hour parole from Adiala Jail Rawalpindi; that was originally requested for five days by Shehbaz Sharif.

The three were flown to Lahore from Nur Khan Airbase on a special plane and moved to their family residence, Jati Umrah, amid tight security after their arrival in Lahore in early hours of Wednesday.

According to Lahore Mayor Colonel(retd) Mubashir the three arrived at Jati Umrah after 3 am. He said Nawaz Sharif throughout the day only met 5 to 6 important party leader including the mayor.

According to other party leaders, Sharif was suffering from minor throat infection and mild fever. They said that he tried to meet more people but his health condition did not permit him.



They said Maryam Nawaz also did not meet a lot of sympathizers. Nawaz Sharif spent most of his day with his immediate family, mostly his mother. They said he broke the news of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s death to his mother Begum Shamim.

According to party spokesperson, Sharif would be meeting with people between 4 to 6 pm on Thursday. After his arrival at Jati Umrah on Wednesday a lot of party workers arrived there to offer condolences. However, Hamza and Salman Shehbaz met with the people on behalf of the Sharif family.

The Punjab government on Wednesday decided in principle to extend parole of the Sharifs for five days, to allow them to attend Kulsoom Nawaz’s funeral prayers. However they will remain within the boundaries of Jati Umra which has been declared as sub jail.

The PML-N leader Rana Tanveer who spent most of his day at Jati Umrah said like many other leaders he was not able to meet Nawaz Sharif due to his indisposition. “Kulsoom Nawaz’s death is a great loss not only to the Sharif family but also the party,” he added..