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- The Queen’s funeral will be held at Westminster Abbey today before her coffin is transported to Windsor Castle
- The PM described her as ‘source of inspiration’ while inviting King Charles III to visit Pakistan at ‘earliest opportunity’
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday extended his condolences to King Charles III over the passing of his mother while attending a reception for foreign dignitaries who have gathered in the United Kingdom to attend the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II.
The Queen passed away at Balmoral Castle, the residence of the British royal family in Scotland, on September 8. She served as the sovereign of her country and head of the Commonwealth realms for over 70 years, making her the longest reigning monarch in the history of UK.
The prime minister is currently visiting London to attend the Queen’s funeral which is scheduled to take place at Westminster Abbey on Monday before her coffin is transported to St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.
A Bearer Party of The Queen's Company, 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards places the coffin of Queen Elizabeth II, draped in the Royal Standard, onto the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy outside Westminster Hall, at the Palace of Westminster in London on September 19, 2022. (AFP)
Pakistan’s information minister Marriyum Aurangzeb said in a string of Twitter posts that the Pakistani premier described the late monarch as “a source of inspiration and strength for generations of Commonwealth citizens” in his conversation with the new King.
“The Prime Minister recalled that the people of Pakistan had fond memories of Her Majesty’s two visits to the country,” she continued. “The bond of affection between the Royal family and the Pakistani nation had only strengthened with time.”
Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif (right) meets Britain’s King Charles III in London, England, on September 18, 2022. (Commonwealth/Flicker)
The Queen visited Pakistan as head of the Commonwealth in 1961, waving to crowds as she rode in a convertible through the streets of Karachi. During her second visit in 1997, she addressed a joint sitting of Pakistan’s parliament and spoke at a banquet hosted by former president Farooq Leghari.
The information minister said the prime minister conveyed best wishes to the King on behalf of the people and government of Pakistan on his ascension to the throne while expressing hope that he would carry on the legacy of his mother to further strengthen friendship among the Commonwealth nations.
He said the people of Pakistan held the new King of Britain in high esteem and looked forward to welcoming him to their country at the “earliest opportunity.”
The prime minister also thanked the monarch for the royal family’s expression of sympathy and support in the wake of the unprecedented floods in Pakistan.
He said the appeal for help and the response from both the British government and public were deeply appreciated in Pakistan.