Maleeha meets Nawaz to condole Kulsoom’s death

LONDON: Dr Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former representative to the United Nations in New York, called on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif to inquire about his health and to condole the death of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.

Dr Lodhi arrived at the Avenfield apartments on Wednesday noon and stayed inside for about an hour.

A source said that Dr Lodhi asked the former premier about his health and wished him recovery. The source said that Dr Lodhi offered condolences to Nawaz Sharif over the death of Kulsoom Nawaz who succumbed to cancer here at the Harley Street in September 2018.

Dr Maleeha Lodhi was picked by Hussain Nawaz Sharif’s driver on the way out from Avenfield flats and dropped to her place in central London.

Sources said that Dr Maleeha Lodhi asked Mr Sharif about his health but no politics was discussed. Dr Lodhi was not available to comment but she was seen leaving the apartment block by this reporter and family sources confirmed that the meeting took place. “This was a courtesy call focused only on Nawaz Sharif’s health,” said the source.

Last week, former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai met Nawaz Sharif at the apartments and asked about his health situation.

Dr Maleeha Lodhi quit her job in September last year. Prime Minister Imran Khan appointed veteran diplomat Munir Akram as new envoy to the world body’s headquarters.

Since her retirement, Dr Lodhi has taken part in several high profile discussion on the issue of Kashmir and Pakistan’s foreign policy. In 1994, Dr Lodhi was appointed by then prime minister Benazir Bhutto as Pakistan’s envoy to the US, a position she retained until 1997.