Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has written a condolence letter to former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif on the death of his mother Begum Shamim Akhtar, who died on November 22.
The letter was forwarded to Mr Sharif’s daughter and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Vice President Maryam Nawaz by the Indian High Commission in Islamabad last week with a request to be conveyed to her father, who has been residing in London since last year, Dawn newspaper reported.
In the letter dated November 27, Prime Minister Modi conveyed his “heartfelt condolences” to Mr Sharif over his mother’s death.
“Dear Mian Sahib, I am deeply saddened to learn about the demise of your mother Begum Shamim Akhtar on November 22 in London. My heartfelt condolences are with you in this hour of intense grief,” PM Modi wrote in the letter, which was also released by the PML-N on Thursday.
Prime Minister Modi recalled his interaction with Mr Sharif’s mother during his brief surprise visit to Lahore in 2015, saying: “Her simplicity and warmth was indeed very touching.”
“In this moment of profound grief, I pray to the Almighty to bestow strength upon you and your family to bear this irreparable loss,” he added.
In a separate letter sent to Ms Maryam on December 11 at her Lahore residence, Indian Charge d’Affaires Gaurav Ahluwalia requested her to convey the condolence message to Nawaz in London, the paper said.
Mr Sharif, three-time former prime minister who is entangled in a number of corruption cases, has been in London since November last year after the Lahore High Court granted him permission to go abroad for four weeks for treating the heart disease and an immune system disorder.❐
