PM, COAS, President, Bilawal, other leaders condole the sad demise
-Nawaz Sharif will not accompany his mother’s body to Pakistan
From Abid Usman
LAHORE: The mother of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and Opposition Leader in NA, Shehbaz Sharif has passed away in London on Sunday.
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Attaullah Tarar announced the tragic news on Twitter and wrote that Mian Nawaz Sharif and Mian Shehbaz Sharif’s mother has passed away.”
Tarar said Suleman Shehbaz informed about the demise of Shamim Akhtar from London via phone and added that steps are being taken to shift her body to Pakistan.
Later Sunday it emerged that the funeral prayers of the mother of PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif would be offered in London before bringing the body back to Pakistan. The funeral prayers of Shamim Akhtar would be offered at Central Mosque Regent Park Street in London. The body would then be shifted to a morgue, they said adding that it would be brought back to Pakistan via any flight to Lahore.
A spokesman of the Jati Umrah, the residence of the Sharif family, said that Begum Shamim Akhtar would be laid to rest at the family graveyard of the Sharif family in Jati Umrah.
PML-N leader Ataullah Tarar said that the funeral would be offered in Pakistan at Sharif Medical Centre and it would take two to three days to bring back the body of Begum Shamim Akhtar.
He said that the request for release of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz on payroll would be submitted as soon as the body arrives in Pakistan. “We will seek a release on the payroll for upto 15 days,” he said.
Begum Shamim was staying in London with her son Nawaz Sharif, where she breathed her last. She was 90. Shehbaz Sharif also shared pictures of his deceased mother on his social media account and appealed to the nation to pray for her eternal peace.
Former prime minister of Pakistan and PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif will not be able to accompany his mother’s body to Pakistan, ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar stated on Sunday.
He said that Nawaz Sharif has been advised by doctors not to travel because of his ailing health.The PML-N chief’s mother Shamim Akhtar passed away in London on Sunday afternoon.
Nawaz Sharif’s family said that Begum Shamim Akhtar was 89 years old. She had developed a severe chest infection and was suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s Disease. Her condition had deteriorated over the last week and she could not regain her health due to old age.
The deceased was receiving treatment at a London hospital and her body is currently kept at the Avenfield Apartments where she was staying with Nawaz Sharif. Family sources added that her death certificate, with the cause of death stated on it, will be issued by the Westminister Magistrate Court’s coroner, after which the body will be released.
Due to the weekend, the coroner’s office will reopen on Monday, November 23. It will take four days to send the body to Pakistan.Until then, Begum Shamim Akhtar’s body will be shifted to the mortuary of the Regent’s Park Mosque in London.
The news of his mother’s demise has devastated Nawaz Sharif, family sources said.Sources added that decisions related to the funeral will be made in consultation with all the family members.
The Sharif family will make arrangements to transport the body to Pakistan for burial once the death certificate is issued.
At present, three airlines have been contacted by the Sharif family to transport the body back to Pakistan as the PIA offers no direct flights from London to Lahore.
Upon the request of the Sharif family, the government of Punjab has granted permission to Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz to attend the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar.
Both the family members, who have been jailed over money-laundering charges, will be released on parole.Expressing his condolences, Punjab Minister for Prisons and Colonies Fayaz-ul-Hasan Chohan said that attending the funeral is Hamza and Shahbaz Sharif’s legal and moral right, hence, the government has decided to grant the permission.
The minister also allowed senior PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar and some members of the Sharif family to visit Shahbaz and Hamza in jail for condolence.
Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif talked over the phone to console each other over their mother’s death, Attaullah Tarar told media personnel outside of Kot Lakhpat Jail.
“The two leaders discussed funeral arrangements, adding that the funeral prayers will be held at the Sharif Medical City in Jati Umra,” Tarar said. “As soon as the body is sent to Pakistan, we will apply for Shahbaz’s and Hamza’s parole.”
PML-N on Sunday announced the postponement of its political activities following the death of Begum Shamim Akhtar.
Party spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb confirmed that the party’s activities will resume after the funeral of Begum Akhtar.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other political leaders have expressed grief over the demise of Shamim Akhtar and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa has expressed grief and heartfelt condolences on sad demise of Begum Shamim Akhtar mother of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif and Shehbaz Sharif.
In a tweet posted by Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) General Qamar Bajwa has prayed that may Allah Almighty bless the departed soul in eternal peace.
On the other hand Prime Minister Imran Khan in his tweet has expressed condolences and said that prayers go to the Sharif family on the passing of Mian Nawaz and Mian Shahbaz Sharif s mother.
“My condolences to the Sharif family, on the death of Begum Shamim Akhtar, mother of Mian Nawaz Sharif & Mian Shahbaz Sharif. May her soul rest in peace” President Dr. Arif Alvi Tweeted.
Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar has also expressed a deep sense of sorrow and grief over the sad demise of mother of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.
The Chief Minister extended heartfelt sympathies and condolence with the bereaved family members.
He prayed that may Allah Almighty rest the departed soul in eternal peace and grant courage and strength to the family to bear the irreparable loss with fortitude.
