Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, were released from Adiala Jail on parole late Wednesday night to attend the funeral of his wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, who passed away in London on Tuesday. back.

Earlier in the day, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said the federal government decided to release Sharif, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader, and his daughter for Begum Kulsoom's funeral.

The former prime minister's wife died at the age of 68 after months in a coma. She was diagnosed with lymphoma last year, barely a month after Sharif was removed from office by the Supreme Court, which ordered him to face trial in an anti-corruption court.

"My sister-in-law and Mian Nawaz Sharif's wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, is no more amongst us. May God rest her in peace," the PML-N tweeted, quoting Shehbaz Sharif, the former PM's brother, on its official account.

"We have just received a request from the family, and InshAllah (God be willing) we will be granting parole," said Chaudhry, adding that Sharif and his daughter would be freed for 12 hours on the day of the funeral and burial, which is likely to take place in three to four days after the body is flown back home from London.

Prime Minister Imran Khan, in this regard, issued a statement offering condolences, saying the government “as per law” would provide assistance to the family.

Sharif was in London with his cancer-stricken wife earlier this year when the Accountability Court had handed him a 10-year jail term and sentenced his daughter, Maryam, to seven years in prison over the purchase of luxury flats in London in the 1990s.