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Women of Nawaz Sharief's family released

The women of Nawaz Sharief's family, taken into custody following the military coup on October 12, have been released on "humanitarian grounds".

The restrictions on the movement of Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, Begum Mian Sharief, Begum Abbas Sharief, Nusrat Shahbaz Sharief and the deposed prime minister's two daughters and grandchildren ended on Sunday at the request of the Amir of Qatar, media reports today said.

The male members, however, will continue to be in detention.

Sharief's family was detained at their Raiwind farm and model town residence in Lahore. The army guard, however, will remain in place.

The release orders were issued after the foreign minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamadan, delivered a special message of the Amir to Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf.

senior PML (N) leader and chairman, party co-ordination committee, Raja Zafarul Haq, confirmed that the women of Nawaz Sharief's family had been released.

Last evening, some family members had an emotional meeting with Sharief at the special cell at Landhi jail where he has been kept in judicial custody in connection with the October 12 conspiracy case.

Sharief's 88-year-old-mother broke down as she embraced her son who has been in detention for 41 days.

Emerging from the meeting, Kulsoom Nawaz avoided newsmen. Daughter Mariyam, however, said that her father was innocent and all allegations levelled against him were baseless.

She said that her father had lost a lot of weight but he was in high spirits. Mariyam also demanded a fair and free trial for her father.

Asked whether she was satisfied with the court proceedings so far, she declared: "We have all the r respect for the courts, and I expect justice from them."

Sharief's family will stay in Karachi with a family friend till November 26 -- the next date of hearing.

The special cell at the Karachi district jail where Sharief has been lodged has been home to another former prime minister -- Benazir Bhutto -- and her husband Asif Zardari at different times.

Reports said the cell has little furniture, a solitary electric bulb and a fan. All electrical switches and the fan regulator were shifted outside the room when it was being readied for Sharief.

According to a report in theJang, Sharief, who felt cold at night, asked for the fan speed to be reduced.

"We will make arrangements to reduce the speed," the security guards allegedly told him.

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