Shahbaz discusses funeral arrangements with Nawaz

RAWALPINDI: The PML-N President, Shahbaz Sharif, along with sons Hamza Shahbaz and Salman Shahbaz on Tuesday visited the Adiala Jail to meet the ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Capt (retd) Safdar and discussed with them the funeral arrangements of late Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

At the prison's conference room, Shahbaz in a sombre mood informed them of Begum Kulsoom’s demise as conveyed through doctors from the London hospital. According to the Adiala Jail sources, Nawaz and Maryam broke down on seeing Shahbaz and his sons. The family tried to console Maryam but in vain. The PML-N president embraced his brother who was also is tears.

The daughters and son-in-law of Maryam also reached the prison, on hearing the tragic news. Maryam cried and hugged her daughters in the prison's conference room. Hanif Abbasi was also present on the occasion.

Shahbaz is expected to leave for the United Kingdom on the next available flight to bring back the body of his sister-in-law. Both Nawaz and Maryam, who are currently imprisoned following conviction in the Avenfield reference case, are expected to be released on parole to attend the funeral.

PML-N leader Imran Nazeer said it could take two to three days to repatriate her body after undergoing all the necessary procedures. He said it is the legal right of Nawaz and Maryam to be released on parole. She is expected to be buried at the family's graveyard at Jati Umrah, Raiwind. Meanwhile, some of PML-N leaders – Chaudhry Tanvir, Uzma Bukhari, Zaib-un-Nisa, Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhry and others – reached the Adiala jail, but the authorities turned them back.