Ex-PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi put on Exit Control List: sources

ISLAMABAD: Former prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) senior leader, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, has been put on Exit Control List (ECL) which restricted him to leave the country, citing sources, ARY News reported on Friday.

Sources said that Shahid Khaqan Abbasi’s name was included in the no-fly-list following request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) Rawalpindi holding investigation into Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) contract scam case against the politician.

The move was made by the Interior Ministry after formal approval of the summary to bar movement of the former premier abroad.

It is pertinent to mention here that NAB Rawalpindi had sought inclusion of Abbasi’s name on ECL in a letter sent to its headquarters in Islamabad, which formally requested Interior Ministry to take further step.

The decision was taken in light of absence of Abbasi on different occasions earlier when summoned by the anti-corruption watchdog officials for proceeding the corruption case. The former premier had always maintained stance for being outside the country to avoid facing NAB investigators.

Shahid Khaqan Abbasi had appeared before the NAB investigators on April 2, where he failed to provide the required documents in the case and sought more time.

The former prime minister is accused of misusing his powers during his tenure as petroleum minister. The case was registered on a complaint by Shahid Sattar – an energy expert and former member of the Planning Commission and the SSGC board of directors – on July 29, 2015.