The provincial Sindh government has made elaborate security arrangements for the funeral prayers and burial of celebrated comedian and actor Umer Sharif who passed away in a hospital in Germany. Thousands of people are expected to attend the funeral of the comedian whose demise on 2nd October was mourned and condoled not only in Pakistan but also in the Indian film and television industry. Sharif was 66.

The comedian, who visited India on a number of occasions for award shows and other assignments, was being taken in an air ambulance from Karachi for his complicated life saving procedure in Washington DC when his condition deteriorated and he had to be admitted to a hospital in Germany.

His son, Jawad Sharif, said as per his father’s last wishes his burial would be in the graveyard at the Abdullah Shah Ghazi shrine in Clifton Karachi. “His body will be flown from Germany to Karachi tonight and his funeral prayers will be held in a mosque in Clifton followed by his burial at the Mazar,” he added.

Sharif’s third wife, Zareen, had accompanied him on the air ambulance and will return with the body.

Back in August, Sharif had suffered a heart attack. According to his close friend, he had gone through two heart bypasses. In September, Sharif in a video message had sought help from the Imran Khan government for his health treatment. Later, the Pakistani government had announced that all the required treatment facilities will be provided to the comedian by the federal government.

Umer Sharif was one of Pakistan’s most celebrated comedian, actor and television personality with his iconic plays such as “Bakra Qiston Pe” and “Budha Ghar Par Hain”.