Observer Report
London
PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif and party president Shahbaz Sharif’s mother, Begum Shamim Akhtar, also known as Shamim Bibi, passed away after a protracted illness in London on Sunday morning, MNA Pervaiz Malik confirmed.
According to the family, Begum Shamim Akhtar was 89 years old. She had developed a severe chest infection and was suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimer’s disease. Her condition had deteriorated over the last week and she could not regain her health due to old age.
The deceased was receiving treatment at a London hospital and her body is currently kept at the Avenfield Apartments where she was staying with Nawaz Sharif.
At present, three airlines have been contacted by the Sharif family to transport the body back to Pakistan as the PIA offers no direct flights from London to Lahore.
Nawaz Sharif will not be able to accompany his mother’s body to Pakistan, ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar stated on Sunday. He said that Nawaz Sharif has been advised by doctors not to travel because of his ailing health.
Upon the request of the Sharif family, the government of Punjab has granted permission to Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz to attend the funeral of Begum Shamim Akhtar. Both the family members will be released on parole. Senior PML-N leader Attaullah Tarar and some members of the Sharif family have been allowed to visit Shahbaz and Hamza in jail for condolence.
A spokesman of the Jati Umrah, the residence of the Sharif family, said that Begum Shamim Akhtar would be laid to rest at the family graveyard of the Sharif family in Jati Umrah.
Prime Minister Imran Khan, Governor Punjab Chaudhry Sarwar, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar, former president Asif Ali Zardari, Pakistan People’s Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other political leaders have expressed grief over the demise of Shamim Akhtar and prayed for the eternal peace of the departed soul.
Chief of the Army Staff General Qamar Javed Bajwa has expressed grief and heartfelt condolences on sad demise of Begum Shamim Akhtar. In a tweet posted by Inter-Services Public Relations, General Qamar Bajwa prayed that may Allah Almighty bless the departed soul in eternal peace.
In a tweet, senior PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal prayed for the departed soul. “She was a very pious and brave woman,” he said. Meanwhile, former President Asif Ali Zardari and Chairman Pakistan People’s Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari have also condoled the death of the mother of Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif.
In a joint condolence message, they expressed their deep sorrow and grief over the death of the mother of Sharif brothers. The death of a mother is the most unfortunate for her children, they said.
