LAHORE – Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar has approved the five-day parole for PML-N president Shehbaz Sharif and leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz so they can attend the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar.
Sharif’s party, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, had earlier sought two-week parole for the father-son duo on Monday.
A private media channel confirmed Thursday that a draft summary was prepared for their release on parole for five days. With the cabinet’s approval, the 69-year-old and his 46-year-old son would be let out of jail on parole to attend the funeral of Nawaz Sharif’s mother, a day before the body arrives in Pakistan.
The parole-based release will come into effect once Begum Shamim’s body reaches Pakistan on Saturday.
Earlier this week, Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Shibli Faraz tweeted that the federal government had placed no restrictions on Nawaz Sharif or any of his family members and they could attend the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar.
نواز شریف، ان کے سمدھی اسحاق ڈار اور صاحبزادوں حسن اور حسین کے پاکستان آنے پر کوئی قدغن نہیں۔وہ تشریف لائیں اور مرحومہ بیگم شمیم اختر صاحبہ کے جنازے میں شرکت فرما کر ثواب دارین حاصل کریں ۔ریاستی جبر کا پروپیگنڈہ دانستہ اس معاملے میں سیاست کرنا ہے۔ آپ کسے بے وقوف بنا رہے ہیں؟
— Senator Shibli Faraz (@shiblifaraz) November 24, 2020