Nawaz, Maryam, Capt Safdar shifted to Adiala jail as parole ends

LAHORE: Former premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar were shifted to Adiala jail as the five-day parole granted to them to attend Begum Kulsoom's funeral ended on Monday.

The parole of the three, who have been serving sentences in Adiala jail since July in the Avenfield reference, ended at 4pm today. They were shifted to the prison amid stringent security.

Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar were flown to Rawalpindi via a special flight from the Lahore airport. According to sources, three members of the Sharif family, Hamza Shehbaz, Salman and Yousuf Abbas, had been granted permission to accompany them inside the Lahore airport.

While, Nawaz's younger brother, Shehbaz Sharif, was granted permission to accompany them on the special flight to Rawalpindi, the sources added.

Several PML-N leaders were present at Jati Umra when the three were taken for the airport. 

Earlier today, the members of the Sharif family visited Begum Kulsoom's grave.

PML-N leader Tanveer Hussain earlier today, denied reports that the Sharifs had requested for another extension in their parole.

Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar were released on 12-hour parole after the former premier’s wife, Begum Kulsoom, passed away on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, however, the Punjab government extended their parole by four days until 12 am on Monday.

Their parole was then extended till Monday 4pm.

Begum Kulsoom was laid to rest on September 14. She passed away in London on September 11 after a year-long battle with cancer. Her funeral prayers were offered in London on Thursday following which her body was flown to Lahore.

Nawaz had refused to be released on parole

Last week, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) president Shehbaz Sharif confirmed that Nawaz and his daughter Maryam had refused to submit a parole request for their release to attend Begum Kulsoom's funeral.

Speaking to the media at the Heathrow Airport, the PML-N president said he had submitted the parole request on behalf of his brother and niece.