PML-N leadership on Sunday announced that no family member will accompany the coffin of Mian Sharif, to be flown to Pakistan from Saudi Arabia for funeral prayers and burial, on Monday morning. Because of apathetic attitude of the government, Sharif family has decided not to make any request for attending the funeral of Mian Sharif, who expired on Friday night in Jeddah, said PML-N leader Sardar Zulfiqar Ali Khan Khosa while addressing an emergent news conference at Lahore Press Club.
Other party leaders, including Information Secretary Zaeem Qadri, Inam Ullah Khan Niazi and Pervez Malik, MNA were also present besides dozens of party workers and activists.
"Sharifs have refused to accept any pre-condition of the government for returning home along with the coffin of Mian Sharif," Khosa stated categorically. It is shame on part of the government that it has set pre-conditions to allow Sharif brothers to accompany the body of their father, he added while hitting hard at the rulers and said they (rulers) are giving political color to the funeral. "Why the government, who claims to have the support of 96 percent people of the country, was scared of a dead body." Khosa questioned.
He, however, admitted that on 11th of May 2004, we did politics on return of former Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif to Lahore, but now we have no designs to do such things at the corpse of Mian Sharif, who throughout his life served humanity and helped out the poor and the destitute. He regretted that the government has adopted an apathetic attitude towards Sharifs by not permitting them to return home to shoulder the coffin of their father.
Unveiling details of the arrival of the coffin, Khosa said that the body would reach Karachi at 3 am. Monday through a PIA flight. It will be brought to Lahore aboard another flight of the national carrier, that will arrive at around 9:30 am. From Lahore Airport, the coffin will be taken to Data Darbar for funeral prayers, to be held at the Darbar mosque after zohr prayers, at around 1:30 pm.
Subsequently, the coffin will be taken to Raiwind Farms for burial, according to the will of late Mian Sharif, Khosa said.
Speaking on the occasion, Acting President PML-N Sindh said that the government has not set a healthy tradition by denying permission to Sharif family to travel to Pakistan along with the coffin, which is a cowardly act on part of the rulers.
Inam Ullah Khan Niazi and Pervez Malik, MNA, said there were strong chances that the government will abstain them from taking the body to Data Darbar for funeral prayers. "But if the government goes to that extent, we know well how to deal with the situation," Inam Ullah Niazi remarked.
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