Nawaz Sharif, daughter granted parole to attend Begum Kulsoom's funeral

Nawaz Sharif's wife Kulsoom Nawaz passed way in London on Tuesday after a period of prolonged illness. She was 68.

The Pakistan government released former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz from Adiala Jail on parole late Wednesday night to attend the funeral of his wife, Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, reported Geo News.

Kulsoom Nawaz passed way in London on Tuesday after a period of prolonged illness. She was 68.

On Tuesday, Pakistan Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had informed that the Pakistan government has decided to release Sharif and his daughter for Begum Kulsoom's funeral.

"We have just received a request from the family, and, Inshallah, we will be granting parole," Dawn News quoted Chaudhry as saying,

The father and daughter will be granted parole according to rule 545 of the Punjab Prison Rules of 1978, Dawn News reported.

According to Dawn News, both Nawaz and Maryam boarded a special plane after being released from Adiala Jail. The other family members of the Sharif family were also reportedly on the plane bound for Lahore. Read More

 

Voting begins in Pakistan; parties of Imran Khan, Sharif in tight race

Pakistan votes amid claims democracy being stifled, military accused of favouring ex-cricketer Imran Khan

Pakistani voters in large numbers have started flocking outside polling stations across Pakistan to cast their vote in country's 11th general election, according to DawnNewsTV.

The first vote was cast in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Charsadda.

While polling stations officially opened for voting at 8 am, enthusiastic citizens queued up outside their respective stations as early as 7 am. Results will start trickling in within hours of polls closing at 6 pm and the likely winner should be known by around 2 am on Thursday.

The knife-edge general election is pitting cricket hero Imran Khan against the party of jailed ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, with the prospect of neither winning a clear majority amid a looming currency crisis.

A decade after Pakistan was last ruled by a military government, the election has been plagued by allegations the powerful armed forces have been trying to tilt the race in Khan's favour after falling out with the outgoing ruling party of Sharif, who was jailed on corruption charges this month.

Read More On → Pakistan Elections 2018