Nawaz Sharif's mother Begum Shamim Akhtar laid to rest in Lahore

Web Desk

November 28, 2020

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and PML-N President Shahbaz Sharif's mother Begum Shamim Akhtar was laid to rest on Saturday in Lahore's Jati Umrah area.

Her funeral prayers were offered in Lahore today at the Sharif Medical City, Raiwind. The prayers were led by Maulana Raghim Naeemi and attended by scores of PML-N leaders and workers.

Begum Shamim Akhtar was buried next to her husband Mohammad Sharif.

A day earlier, her body was sent to Pakistan from London via British Airways flight BA-059. Upon arriving in Lahore, it was handed over to her son, Shahbaz who was at the Lahore airport along with his son Hamza Shahbaz to receive it.

PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb and PML-N's Attaullah Tarar were also present at the Allama Iqbal International Airport, along with hundreds of party workers.

Funeral prayers in London

PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif offered the funeral prayers of his mother in London on Friday along with several family and party members.

The prayers were held in London Central Mosque — alternatively known as Regent's Park Mosque — where the number of participants had to be limited to 30 under the United Kingdom's coronavirus guidelines.

After the prayers, Begum Shamim's body was taken to the London Heathrow Airport for repatriation to Pakistan.

Earlier, ex-finance minister Ishaq Dar had announced that Nawaz Sharif would not be able to accompany his mother's body to Pakistan as he was not declared medically fit to travel by his doctors.

Begum Shamim Akhtar passed away in London on November 22 at the age of 89. She had developed a severe chest infection and was suffering from an advanced stage of Alzheimer's Disease. Her condition had deteriorated and she could not regain her health due to old age.

The deceased was receiving treatment at a London hospital and her body was previously kept at the Avenfield Apartments where she was staying with Nawaz Sharif.