LAHORE: The five-day parole granted by the Punjab government which ensured ex-premier Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt. (retired) Safdar could attend the funeral of Sharif’s wife, Kulsoom, is set to end today, officials said.
Members of the Sharif family had been serving sentences in Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail since July after being charged in a corruption case. At the request of family members, the three were able to attend Kulsoom's last rites, held in Lahore, on Friday. Kulsoom died in London on September 11 after succumbing to a long battle with cancer. Her body was flown back to Lahore after funeral prayers were offered in London.
Initially, the trio had been granted a 12-hour parole, which was later extended by the Punjab government till 4pm today. “The government will act on Sharif’s request for release according to the law. They (Sharifs) will be given all possible assistance as allowed in the law,” Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said at the time.
Denying rumors of a further extension, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Tanveer Hussain said no such request had been made by the Sharifs.
On September 11, PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif, in comments to the media, had said that his brother, Nawaz Sharif and niece Maryam had refused to submit a parole request. Instead, Shehbaz had submitted a request on their behalf to ensure they could attend Kulsoom's funeral.
Sharif family parole to end today
Sharif family parole to end today
- Nawaz, Maryam and Capt Safdar had been released to attend Kulsoom’s funeral
- PML-N leader Hussain denies rumors that Sharifs requested an extension
Ramadan moon sighted in Pakistan, first fast to be observed on Thursday
- Pakistan moon sighting committee receives testimonies of moon being sighted from several cities
- Muslims fast from dawn till sunset during holy month of Ramadan, which is followed by Eid Al Fitr
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s central moon sighting committee has announced that the Ramadan moon has been sighted in the country and the first fast of the holy month will be observed on Thursday.
Pakistan’s Ruet-e-Hilal Committee (RHC) determines the dates for new Islamic months and Eid festivals by sighting the moon every year. Committee members announce the dates for the Islamic months after visually observing the crescent and receiving testimonies of its sighting from several parts of the country.
Speaking to reporters after the RHC’s meeting in Peshawar, the committee’s chairman Maulana Abdul Khabir Azad said testimonies of the moon sighting were received from several parts of the country, including Quetta, Islamabad, Waziristan, Dir, Karachi, Buner, Mardan and Tando Allahyar.
“Therefore, it was decided with consensus that the first day of Ramadan would be on Thursday, Feb. 19, 2026,” Azad said in a televised press conference.
Pakistan’s national space agency announced last week that the Ramadan crescent is likely to be visible in the country on Feb. 18 and consequently, the first date of Ramadan is likely to be on Feb. 19.
Muslims fast from dawn till sunset during Ramadan. This is followed by Eid Al Fitr, a religious holiday and celebration to mark the end of Ramadan which is observed by Muslims worldwide.
