The name of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) President Shehbaz Sharif has been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL) after the approval from the cabinet on Thursday, the day when Pakistanis celebrated the religious festival of Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to Ministry of Interior sources, a notification in this regard will be issued on Friday.
It is learnt that the cabinet issued a summary on the request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to bar Shehbaz from leaving the country.
SHEIKH RASEEHD: Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed had told media in Islamabad that the PML-N president may move a review plea before the ministry against the decision within 15 days and it will make a decision within 90 days of receiving the request.
He clarified that Shehbaz’s name was not on a “blacklist”, and added that “the court’s decision came with regard to the blacklist.”
He explained that there are three lists used to prevent someone from leaving for abroad: one is the blacklist, into which someone’s name is included by the passport office; the second is Provincial Identification List (PNIL), into which someone’s name is added by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA); and the third is the Exit Control List (ECL) into which the federal cabinet has the authority to put someone’s name.
The minister said that the interior ministry “received no request (for permission to travel)” and “nothing stating medical grounds”, whereas past requests had cited medical grounds.
