Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif has said that his wife Begum Kulsoom's condition is "slightly better than before", but she has yet to regain consciousness, BBC Urdu reported on Thursday night.

During a conversation with BBC Urdu, Nawaz said that he "wished he had come to London before Thursday when she was still conscious and responsive".

Nawaz and his son Hussain were both with Kulsoom in her hospital room when they were contacted for an update. Hussain also confirmed that his mother was better than she had been last Thursday, BBC Urdu said.

According to the report, Nawaz's tone was "sombre and sad" during the conversation and he wished Pakistan and the nation well before the phone call ended.

Begum Kulsoom was shifted to the hospital after she suffered a sudden cardiac arrest last Thursday. Nawaz and Maryam were on the flight to London at that time.

Begum Kulsoom was diagnosed with lymphoma (throat) cancer in August last year. She underwent a surgery, and several sessions of chemotherapy and radiotherapy.