ISLAMABAD: Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, the wife of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, was shifted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a London hospital late Thursday after her condition deteriorated further, her family said on social media.
Maryam Nawaz, her daughter, and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif, both confirmed the development on Twitter, with the former making an "earnest request for duas [prayers]".
Former president Asif Ali Zardari, in a statement issued earlier today (Friday), expressed good wishes for Begum Kulsoom's recovery. He said the Bhutto family and Pakistan Peoples Party is praying for Begum Kulsoom's health.
Sources told Geo News that Begum Kulsoom collapsed in the ICU after a cardiac arrest and had not regained consciousness since. She was being kept on the ventilator, life-support machine, and emergency medicines, they added.
On Wednesday, the wife of the former premier was readmitted to the hospital, whereafter she was taken to the emergency unit last night as her condition had deteriorated.
The sources further stated that she was being kept under intensive care and her condition was being closely monitored.
"Ami [mother] had a sudden cardiac arrest this morning when we were on the flight and is in ICU and on the ventilator since," Maryam wrote.
Shehbaz Sharif, who is Nawaz's brother, requested the nation to join him in prayers for speedy recovery.
"My Bhabhi [sister-in-law] Begum Kalsoom Nawaz is being kept in ICU due to her serious condition. The whole family is praying for her recovery.
"As the Holy Month of Ramadan comes to an end, I ask my compatriots to join me in prayers for her speedy recovery. The power of prayer is paramount," he tweeted.
Further, Imran Khan, the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), also tweeted his well wishes to Begum Kulsoom after her condition deteriorated late Thursday.
"All our prayers are with Begum Kulsoom Nawaz. May Allah grant her Shifa e Kamila," he wrote.
Throat cancer, multiple surgeries
Earlier, Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam, arrived in London to visit the ailing Begum Kulsoom.
Maryam, on Twitter, had confirmed their departure and requested prayers for her mother's health.
Kulsoom Nawaz underwent multiple surgeries in 2017 to remove diseased lymph nodes after she was diagnosed with throat cancer.
In April, her medical reports indicated that her health had worsened after her throat cancer began to spread to the rest of her body.
On May 25, her health was said to have improved briefly, before it deteriorated again on Wednesday.
Nawaz and Maryam are scheduled to return to the country after spending Eid-ul-Fitr with Begum Kulsoom.
On June 7, Nawaz and Maryam had sought a five-day exemption from their appearance before accountability court in the corruption references against the Sharif family.
APP/AFP