SHC moved against removal of 200 names from ECL

KARACHI: A petition was filed before the Sindh High Court (SHC) challenging the removal of more than 200 names including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL), ARY News reported on Thursday.

The petitioner stated that the previous govt had placed their names on ECL on the recommendation of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

“The new government excluded names of more than 200 people from ECL despite pending inquires and high profile cases,” he stated.

“Names of former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz and others were too placed on ECL on court orders, but the new govt removed them from exit control list without court’s permission,” the plea stated.

SHC judge Justice Muhammad Iqbal Kalhoro reserved the verdict over the maintainability of plea.

The names of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, former president Asif Zardari, former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Faryal Tapur and other important political personalities were recently removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) by the interior ministry.

As per details, the names of more than 100 political personalities including PM Shehbaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah, Faryal Talpur, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Saad Rafique, Khawaja Asif and others have been removed from the ECL.

The names were placed on the ECL on the recommendations of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).