Amraiz Khan
Lahore
The Punjab government on Tuesday approved a request of PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif and his son, Hamza to release them on a five-day parole, ahead of the funeral of the former chief minister’s mother, Begum Shamim Akhtar.
Sources in the Ministry of Interior said that Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar had earlier forwarded a request for the temporary release of Shahbaz Sharif and Hamza Shahbaz to the provincial cabinet for approval. Earlier the same request was submitted by the PML-N to the deputy commissioner Lahore, who has the powers to approve the release for 8-10 hours. The party had asked the government to release Shahbaz and Hamza on parole for 14 days.
Moreover, the release on parole would come into effect once Begum Shamim Akhtar’s body reaches Pakistan after clearance from the Westminster Magistrates’ Court coroner and a confirmation from London — expected in a few days.
The PML-N president and his son would be released from jail on parole with the cabinet’s approval a day before the body arrives in Pakistan.
