LAHORE: Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Aitzaz Ahsan Tuesday tendered an apology to the Sharif family for his controversial remarks about Begum Kulsoom Nawaz’s ailment.
Begum Kulsoom Nawaz passed away on Tuesday after a months-long battle with cancer.
Speaking to a private media outlet, Ahsan said that he deeply grieved over the demise of the former first lady and apologised to the Sharif family for hurting them through his remarks.
The PPP leader had doubted Kulsoom’s illness and had said that the Harley Street Clinic in London where Begum Kulsoom was under treatment was owned by the Sharifs.
Alleging that the clinic only conducted bypass surgeries of human hearts, the PPP lawmaker had said that former premier Nawaz Sharif was tending to his ailing wife as a delaying tactic in corruption references against him.
These statements were considered to be the main cause of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s objection to Ahsan’s nomination as the joint opposition candidate in the recently-held presidential election.
Opposition parties had several meetings to bring a consensus candidate, but PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari declined to withdraw Ahsan from the presidential race.
Former information minister Pervez Rasheed demanded Ahsan to personally apologise to Nawaz by visiting the former premier in Adiala prison, where he is serving his term after being convicted in Avenfield properties reference.
Ahsan further said that Begum Kulsoom was a pious lady, adding that he was offered to express regret over his remarks but he did not do and felt sorry for that.
The PPP leader said that the demise of the former first lady was a huge loss for the Sharif family and that she had rendered valuable services for democracy.
