Zardari, Shujaat leave for Prince Sultan's funeral

President Asif Ali Zardari and Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) Chief Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain have left for Saudi Arabia to attend the funeral of Saudi Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz, Express 24/7 reported Tuesday.

Prince Sultan will be laid to rest following Asr prayers.

The funeral is expected to take place at the Imam Turki bin Abdullah Mosque situated in Riyadh.

The head of states from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries will also pay their respects to the prince in the capital.

Delegations from United Kingdom, United States, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will also attend the funeral.

Prince Sultan died of cancer in New York on Saturday.

King Abdullah, who is in his late 80s, had a successful operation to tighten the ligaments around his third vertebra on Monday.

Earlier, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani had announced a three-day national mourning as a token of respect to the Saudi Crown Prince. The premier said that Prince Sultan would always be remembered “as a dear friend and brother.”