Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of the jailed former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, has died of cancer in London. She was 68.
Confirming the news Sharif’s brother and the head Pakistan Muslim League-N, Shahbaz Sharif, tweeted from his party’s official Twitetr handle in Urdu, “My sister-in-law and the wife of Nawaz Sharif sahib is no more amongst us. May God bless her soul.”
میری بھابھی اور میاں نواز شریف صاحب کی اہلیہ بیگم کلثوم نواز اب ہم میں نہیں رہیں، اللہ تعالٰی انکی مغفرت فرمائے: شہباز شریف
ﺇﻧَّﺎﻟِﻠّٰﻪ ﻭﺇﻧَّﺎﺇﻟَﻴْﻪِ ﺭَﺍﺟِﻌُﻮْﻥ— PML(N) (@pmln_org) September 11, 2018
The news comes just weeks after Nawaz Sharif returned to Pakistan with daughter Maryam Nawaz before being arrested on corruption charges. Both are currently serving jail sentence with Maryam’s husband Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdarin Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi after being convicted by an accountability court in a corruption case in July.
The newly elected Pakistani government of Imran Khan has decided to extend all help in bringing the mortal remains of Begum Kulsoom from London. A statement by Prime Minister Imran Khan said that all facilities will be provided to the family and heirs of Kulsoom as per law.
The prime minister has directed the Pakistan High Commission in London to assist in provision of all necessary facilities to the family of the deceased, news agency PTI quoted his statement.
Army Chief Gen. Qamar Jawed Bajwa also expressed grief over Kulsoom’s death and extended condolences to her family.
“COAS expresses his grief and heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family on sad demise of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz.”
Meanwhile, the PML-N also shared a video on its Twitter timeline showing the last conversation between Nawaz Sharif and his ailing wife before the former departed for Pakistan. In the video, Nawaz Sharif is heard saying, “Kulsoom, please open your eyes…May Allah give you good health.”
Unseen video of Nawaz engaging with Kulsoom before returning to Pakistan pic.twitter.com/WsGwnNgjIx
— Syed Talat Hussain (@TalatHussain12) September 11, 2018
This was reportedly the last time Nawaz Sharif had spoken to his wife. According to sources, Kulsoom Nawaz will be buried in Pakistan as authoritie to bring her body back from London.