LAHORE - Jail authorities have made arrangements to shift the former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz from Jati Umra to Adiala Jail as the parole time ends at 4pm today.

There are also reports that PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif wants extension in parole, but no official confirmation in this regard was available from the PML-N side.

PML-N spokesperson Maryam Aurangzeb was not available on her cell phone to deny or confirm the reports that extension had been sought in the parole time. Sources in the Punjab Home Department confirmed that no such request by the Sharif family had been made so far.

Talking to the media at Jati Umra on Sunday, former speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq said that government should grant extension in parole on moral grounds. Asked if a formal application had been submitted by the PML-N president seeking the required extension, Ayyaz Sadiq said that a decision in this regard would be made by the Sharif family.

In case no extension in parole is granted by the government, the two PML-N leaders would be flown back to Adiala Jail by Monday afternoon (today).

The former prime minister and his daughter were released on parole last week to enable them attend the funeral and last rituals of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz who died in London on September 11. Initially they were released for 12 hours but the time was extended later on till Monday 4 pm.

Meanwhile, senior politicians including former president Asif Ali Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and PML President Ch Shujaat Hussain visited former premier Nawaz Sharif on Sunday to offer their condolences over the demise of his wife Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

Offering his condolences, Asif Zardari termed Begum Kulsoom’s death a ‘great loss’ and said that PPP stood by the Sharif family in this difficult time.

Former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf, Farhatullah Babar, Rehman Malik, Sherry Rehman, Qamar Zaman Kaira, Mustafa Nawaz Khokar and Mian Azizur Rehman Chan were also part of the PPP delegation which called on Mian Nawaz Sharif at his Jati Umra residence.

The PPP leaders paid tributes to Begum Kulsoom Nawaz for her political struggle during dictatorial rule in the country.

Zardari described Begum Kulsoom a brave woman and said that she would be remembered for her struggle for democracy and the country.

Nawaz Sharif thanked the PPP leaders for their visit and condolence and also thanked Asif Ali Zardari for sending a party delegation to attend Begum Kulsoom’s funeral prayers on Friday last.

Sharif told Zardari that his biggest regret was that he couldn’t be on the side of his ailing wife in her last moments.

On this occasion, PPP leader Asif Zardari and ex-PM Nawaz Sharif also shared their respective experience of serving prison terms.

Zardari said that when he was in jail his mother was ill and hospitalized and he was offered release on parole but he refused. “On insistence of my sister I visited my ailing mother in the hospital. But her condition had deteriorated by that time. I still feel the pain of my last meeting with my mother when I saw tears in her eyes,” he said.

Nawaz told Zardari that he was being kept in an isolated cell in the jail where the surrounding barracks have been vacated from the inmates. He said he would meet her daughter Maryam once a week only despite being in the same prison.

Also, Pakistan Muslim League (PML) President and former prime minister Ch Shujaat Hussain along with Moonis Elahi, Shafay Hussain, Salik Hussain and Rasikh Elahi met Mian Nawaz Sharif at Jati Umra on Sunday. They offered condolence over demise of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz and shared the grief with the bereaved family.

PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif and other leaders were also present on the occasion.

Ch Shujaat Hussain told Mian Nawaz Sharif that Begum Kulsoom was very sensible and serious lady. He prayed for eternal rest in peace for the departed soul and solace for the bereaved family.

Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider also visited Jati Umra to offer condolence over the death of Begum Kulsoom. He also visited the graves of Begum Kulsoom and Abbas Sharif and offered Fateha for the deceased.

PML leaders also attended Rasm-e-Qul of Begum Kulsoom after their meeting with Nawaz Sharif. 

Meanwhile, Rasm-e-Qul of Begum Kulsoom was held at Jati Umra on Sunday. Family members, close relatives and senior party leaders including Sardar Ayyaz Sadiq, former federal minister Rana Tanvir and AJK Prime Minister Raja Farooq Haider were prominent on the occasion.

 

 

Nawaz, Maryam parole ends at 4pm today