On Wednesday morning (6 October), the body of legendary comedian Umer Sharif was brought to Karachi from Istanbul for funeral rites which would be held in his hometown.
His remains were placed in a casket draped in a Pakistani flag and transferred to Edhi morgue before being transported to his home.
According to his son, Sharif’s funeral prayers would be offered at 3 p.m. at Umer Sharif Park in Clifton block 2. He will be buried at the Abdullah Shah Ghazi graveyard close to Shireen Jinnah, the sister of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and Fatima Jinnah.
Sharif died on Saturday at the age of 66 while having medical treatment in Germany, and the nation was shocked, with condolences pouring in from politicians, showbiz figures, and TV stars from both sides of the border.
According to officials, Turkish Airlines Flight TK-708 took off from Istanbul at 12:53 a.m. and landed at Karachi Airport around 5:33 a.m. On Tuesday, the jet carrying his body flew from Munich to Istanbul, before continuing to Pakistan.
The body of Umer Sharif was received by his son Jawad Umer who was companied by the friends of the late TV legend.
Profile of Umer Sharif
Umer Sharif came into this world on April 19, 1955. He began his career as a theatrical actor under the name Umer Zarif but changed his name to Umer Sharif later. Two of his most popular comedy stage plays are:
- Bakra Qistoon Pe.
- Buddha Ghar Pe Ha.
Mr. 420 earned Sharif national prizes for best director and best actor in 1992. He won ten Nigar Awards in all, making him the only actor to win four in a single year.
He was also awarded the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz for his achievements in the entertainment sector as a comedian, actor, and producer.
Last month, the veteran actor’s health became a national concern after he made a video request to Prime Minister Imran Khan for assistance in obtaining a visa to fly abroad for medical treatment.
Read also: PM takes notice of Umer Sharif’s request for travel assistance
The federal government promised to assist him, and the Sindh government stepped in as well, allocating Rs40 million for his treatment.
