LAHORE: The body of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Pakistan’s former first lady, was moved to Jati Umra on Friday morning (today), almost half an hour after a flight carrying it from London landed at Allama Iqbal International Airport.
Pakistan International Airlines’ (PIA) flight PK-758, which departed from London’s Heathrow Airport carrying Begum Kulsoom’s body touched down around 6:45am.
The body was transferred to an ambulance directly from the airplane and taken to Sharif Medical City.
Nawaz, his daughter Maryam and son-in-law Captain (retd) Mohammad Safdar, who have been released on parole, were also taken to Sharif Medical City to pay their respects.
Shehbaz Sharif, the deceased’s brother-in-law and president of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), along with Begum Kulsoom’s daughter Asma, grandson Zayd Hussain Sharif (Hussain Nawaz’s son), and 11 other family members accompanied the body to Lahore.
Hassan and Hussain Nawaz, Begum Kulsoom’s sons, did not return to the country for their mother’s funeral.
Begum Kulsoom’s funeral prayers will be held at Sharif Medical City in Lahore’s Jati Umra neighbourhood at 5pm.
The former first family will be laid to rest in Jati Umra.
Nawaz in Jati Umra
The former premier, who was accompanied by Sharif family members to pay respects to Begum Kulsoom at Sharif Medical City after her body was brought to Lahore, is currently meeting guests in Jati Umra.
Nawaz has been released from Adiala Jail on parole in order to attend the funeral of his wife.
Meanwhile, the Punjab home department has issued a notification announcing an extension in the parole already awarded to Nawaz for additional five days — September 12 (4pm) to September 17 (4pm).
Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar had been sentenced to jail by an accountability court weeks before the July 25 polls in the Avenfield property reference.
PTI delegation to attend funeral prayers
A Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf delegation will attend the funeral prayers for the former first lady.
According to sources, Punjab Governor Chaudhry Mohammad Sarwar will lead the PTI delegation.
PTI leaders Mian Mehmoodur Rasheed and Mian Aslam Iqbal will be part of the delegation.
Begum Kulsoom’s funeral prayers offered in London
On Thursday, Begum Kulsoom’s funeral prayers were also offered at London’s Islamic Cultural Centre.
Among the attendees were her sons Hassan and Hussain, brother-in-law Shehbaz Sharif, PML-N leaders Chaudhry Nisar and Muhammad Ishaq Dar attended the funeral.
Legal formalities were completed in London and the Harley Street Clinic, where Begum Kulsoom had passed away, issued a death certificate to the family. The bereaved relatives also received the “out-of-England” letter from the coroner’s court, which the way for the departure of her body.
The wife of ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif passed away on Tuesday after an over-a-year-long battle with lymphoma (throat cancer).
