London: Kulsoom Nawaz's funeral prayer to be offered on Thursday
Begum Kulsoom would be laid to rest at the Jati Umra residence of the Sharif family on Friday.
LONDON (Dunya News) - The funeral prayer of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s wife Begum Kulsoom will be offered on Thursday in London’s Regent Park mosque.
PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and other family members have flown to London to attend the funeral and bring Kulsoom’s body back to Pakistan.
A PIA flight carrying the casket will fly from Heathrow airport tomorrow at 10pm. It will arrive in Pakistan on Friday at 6am after which a second funeral prayer will be held at Jati Umra.
Kulsoom will be laid to rest the same day beside the grave of her father-in-law Mian Sharif at Jati Umra. Nawaz Sharif sons Hassan and Hussain Nawaz won’t be in Lahore to attend the funeral prayers owing to legal complications.
On the other hand, former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar have been released on parole from Adiala Jail and shifted to Jati Umra.
Prolonged battle with cancer
On Tuesday, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz passed away at London’s Harley Street Clinic after a prolonged battle with cancer.
The news was confirmed by PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif. Kulsoom Nawaz is survived by her husband and four children, Hassan, Hussain, Maryam and Asma.
“My sister-in-law and wife of Mian Nawaz Sharif, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz is no more. May her soul rest in peace,” Shehbaz Sharif said in a twitter announcement.
“Nawaz Sharif had always consulted Kulsoom Nawaz during his tough hours. She [Kulsoom Nawaz] challenged dictatorship courageously,” stated Shehbaz while adding at the same time late Kulsoom’s affiliation with democracy was proven and time-tested.
Shehbaz added nation will always remember services of Kulsoom Nawaz for democracy.
PML-N suspends political activities for three days
The Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) party suspended all political activities for three days after the death of Kulsoom Nawaz in London.
PML-N leader Kh Nazir termed Kulsoom a brave woman and stated she played vital role in reshaping the political landscape of the country.
Know more: A former first lady
Nazir added dead body of Kulsoom Nawaz will be shifted to Pakistan in two to three days. Shehbaz Sharif will inform party’s leadership after meeting with Nawaz Sharif, he added.
Nazir stated Nawaz should be granted parole for at least one week.
Kulsoom was born in 1950 in Lahore to a Kashmiri family. She attended Islamia College and graduated from Forman Christian College in Lahore. She also received a Master’s degree in Urdu from the University of the Punjab in 1970.
She married Nawaz Sharif in 1971, and served as the president of the PML-N from 1999 to 2002.
Also Read: Condolences pour in after death of Kulsoom Nawaz
Kulsoom had remained the first lady of Pakistan for three non-consecutive terms from 1990-1993, 1997-1999 and 2013-2017.
After the disqualification of Sharif from Supreme Court last year, Kulsoom was elected to Lahore’s NA-120 constituency in a by-poll against Dr Yasmin Rashid of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) among other candidates. However; she left for United Kingdom soon and was unable to return due to her illness.
Her election campaign was run by her daughter, Maryam Nawaz.
