LAHORE: The five-day parole granted by the Punjab government which ensured ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt. (retired) Safdar could attend the funeral of Sharif’s wife, Kulsoom, is set to end today, officials said.
Members of the Sharif family had been serving sentences in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since July after being charged in a corruption case. At the request of family members, the three were able to attend Kulsoom's last rites, held in Lahore, on Friday. Kulsoom died in London on September 11 after succumbing to a long battle with cancer. Her body was flown back to Lahore after funeral prayers were offered in London.
Initially, the trio had been granted a 12-hour parole, which was later extended by the Punjab government till 4pm today. “The government will act on Sharif’s request for release according to the law. They (Sharifs) will be given all possible assistance as allowed in the law,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said at the time.
Denying rumors of a further extension, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Tanveer Hussain said no such request had been made by the Sharifs.
On September 11, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, in comments to the media, had said that his brother, Nawaz Sharif and niece Maryam had refused to submit a parole request. Instead, Shehbaz had submitted a request on their behalf to ensure they could attend Kulsoom's funeral.
Sharif family parole to end today
Sharif family parole to end today
- Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar had been released to attend Kulsoom’s funeral
- PML-N leader Hussain denies rumors that Sharifs requested an extension
