Kulsoom’s funeral prayers tomorrow

LAHORE: The funeral prayers of late Begum Kulsoom Nawaz is scheduled to be held at 5:00pm on Friday (tomorrow) at the Sharif Medical City, Jati Umra. Meanwhile, Nawaz on Wednesday remained mostly confined to his room managing his sorrow and could not meet any visitors during the entire day because of ailing health, family sources told Geo News. However, Maryam met those who visited Jati Umra to offer condolences. The former prime minister Nawaz Sharif would meet those seeking to condole with him today (Thursday).

Earlier, the Punjab government extended the parole granted to Nawaz, his daughter Maryam Safdar and son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar by five days from the initial 12 hours. According to a Home Department official, if the funeral is delayed for any reason, the parole would be further extended, which otherwise expires on Saturday.

Moreover, the Jati Umra residence of former prime minister has not been declared sub-jail. Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Usman Buzdar said Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar are in police custody and they would abide by the rules.

Earlier hours after Begum Kulsoom's demise on Tuesday, PML-N president Shahbaz Sharif accompanied by his sons flew to Rawalpindi dashed to the Adiala Jail to meet his elder brother and niece.

He also discussed shifting Begum Kulsoom's body and their release on parole for her burial in the meeting that continued for over four hours. During the meeting, Nawaz refused to request the government for the parole or any other concession. Maryam also backed her father. However, Shahbaz tried to convince them and requested the Punjab Government at his own initiative for a five-day parole after his brother's refusal.

Later, Shahbaz accompanied Nawaz, Maryam and Safdar on the flight to Lahore and reached the Jati Umra late on Tuesday night. Both Nawaz and Maryam remained confined to their rooms.

On Tuesday night, Maryam told the Geo News that she was deeply saddened by her inability to be on the side of her ailing mother during her last moments. "Today is an extremely difficult day after learning of my mother's death,” she said. "It was extremely painful that I wasn't by my mother's side" when she breathed her last, she said and remarked. "I am deeply saddened."

Many PML-N leaders including Javed Hashimi, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Ayaz Sadiq, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Tehmina Daultana, Asif Kirmani, Saad Rafique, Imran Nazir, Rana Sanaullah and Amir Muqam arrived at Jati Umra and remained there for most of the day. Talking to the media, Hamza Shahbaz and other PML-N leaders paid rich tributes to late Begum Kulsoom.

The PML-N leaders termed the demise of Begum Kulsoom a great loss for the family and said her services for democracy would be long remembered.

Senior politician Javed Hashmi described her as a brave lady who fought for democracy and remained throughout with Nawaz at his tough hour. Khurram Dastgir said an era of bravery and courage has ended, while dubbing Begum Kulsoom as the mother of democracy.

On the other hand, Shahbaz departed for London to bring back Begum Kulsoom's body. She is to be laid to rest at Jati Umra on Friday. Earlier on Thursday, her funeral Although late Begum Kulsoom is to be laid to rest at Jati Umra on Friday, her funeral prayers would also be offered at the Regent Park mosque in London on Thursday.

Earlier on Tuesday night, Maryam had told Geo News that she was deeply saddened by the fact that she was unable to be by the bedside of her ailing mother during her last moments. “Today was an extremely difficult day after learning of my mother’s death,” she added.

“It was extremely painful to know that I wasn’t by my mother’s side” as she breathed her last, she added. “I am deeply saddened.”

Meanwhile, the PML-N leaders termed the demise of Begum Kulsoom a great loss for the family and said her services for democracy would be long remembered.

Senior politician Javed Hashmi told media that she was a brave lady who fought for democracy. They were with Nawaz in his tough hour, he added.

Khurram Dastgir said an era of bravery and courage had ended, adding that Begum Kulsoom was the mother of democracy.

Meanwhile, the joint sitting of two Houses of the Parliament to be addressed by the President Dr Arif Alvi on Thursday afternoon (today) has been postponed, the official sources said.

The sources said the joint sitting of the Parliament which was to mark start of first parliamentary leader of the National Assembly has been postponed on request of the PML-N and opposition parties but so far no written official was made till filing of this report. However, the PML-N leadership has been conveyed about the decision.

The opposition leader in the National Assembly and the PML-N President Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif is also in London and he will return Lahore with dead body of Kulsoom Nawaz on Friday morning.

The only item on agenda of the joint session of the Parliament would be address of the President of Pakistan under clause (3) of Article 56 of the Constitution.

The sources said the PML-N wanted to postpone joint sitting of the Parliament and start of the National Assembly session from Monday while the other opposition parties have also supported stance of the main opposition party. The Namaz-e-Jinaza and burial of Kulsoom Nawaz will be held at Jati Umra, Lahore on Friday afternoon to be attended by majority of parliamentarians besides others.