Federal govt not ready to place Sharif’s family on ECL
NAB recommended to put Sharif, Maryam, Hassan, Hussain, Safdar on no-fly list
Altogether 17 inquiries, four investigations initiated against over three dozen accused. PHOTO: EXPRESS
ISLAMABAD:
The federal government is reluctant to place the names of Sharif family members on the exit control list (ECL) as recommended by the National Bureau of Accountability (NAB), despite having discretionary powers to give relaxation to any person whose name has been placed on the no-fly list.
The anti-corruption watchdog had recommended to the Ministry of Interior to place the name former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and others on ECL. However, the interior ministry has been defying its recommendations and the names of former premier and his family members as wanted by NAB are yet to be placed on the no-fly list.
The federal government has discretionary powers to give relaxation to persons whose names are placed on ECL. Last year a top PIA official, Bernd Hildenbrand, was allowed to leave the country by the Ministry of Interior despite having his name on ECL.
NAB during the second week of last month had requested the interior ministry to place names of five Sharif family members on ECL, namely deposed prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retired) Muhammad Safdar.
Sharif family ECL placement awaiting cabinet go-ahead: Iqbal
The cases for ECL are dealt under the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance 1981, the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Rules 2010, and some other notifications of the Ministry of Interior.
As per the prescribed criteria and policy, there is no different standard for every case and each of case referred to the ministry for placement of name on ECL is examined and decided on merit and in accordance with law.
However, it seems not the case when it comes to matters related to the ruling family regarding placing of their names on ECL.
In 2015 when former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was heading the ministry certain parameters were designed for placement of names on ECL. These parameters along with a copy of notification are available with The Express Tribune. They include recommendations of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the high courts, tribunals having equivalent status, the defence headquarters, intelligence agencies, NAB, the Federal Investigation Agency and the federal government.
The interior ministry’s committee which has the mandate to review the cases pertaining to placement of names on ECL comprises the additional secretary-III, the joint secretary (law), the political/FIA joint secretary, representative of the relevant department/agency and ECL section officer.
The former interior minister had taken measures to rationalise the ECL list in 2015. The federal government via a notification on September 16, 2015 had deleted 4,987 names from ECL and it had retained only those persons on the ECL whose period of placement was less than three years and/or those involved in anti-state activities, terrorism or associated with proscribed organisations, and whose names were placed by the ministry on the orders of superior courts.
As per review mechanism any person aggrieved by an order of the federal government may seek review on the decision within in 15 days and the government shall decide in this context within 60 days. The committee responsible for placement of names on ECL is supposed to hold quarterly review in consultation with referring authorities for fresh decisions in the cases where the period of the placement on ECL is about to expire.
The federal government is reluctant to place the names of Sharif family members on the exit control list (ECL) as recommended by the National Bureau of Accountability (NAB), despite having discretionary powers to give relaxation to any person whose name has been placed on the no-fly list.
The anti-corruption watchdog had recommended to the Ministry of Interior to place the name former prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif and others on ECL. However, the interior ministry has been defying its recommendations and the names of former premier and his family members as wanted by NAB are yet to be placed on the no-fly list.
The federal government has discretionary powers to give relaxation to persons whose names are placed on ECL. Last year a top PIA official, Bernd Hildenbrand, was allowed to leave the country by the Ministry of Interior despite having his name on ECL.
NAB during the second week of last month had requested the interior ministry to place names of five Sharif family members on ECL, namely deposed prime minister Mian Nawaz Sharif, his daughter Maryam Nawaz, sons Hassan Nawaz and Hussain Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retired) Muhammad Safdar.
Sharif family ECL placement awaiting cabinet go-ahead: Iqbal
The cases for ECL are dealt under the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance 1981, the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Rules 2010, and some other notifications of the Ministry of Interior.
As per the prescribed criteria and policy, there is no different standard for every case and each of case referred to the ministry for placement of name on ECL is examined and decided on merit and in accordance with law.
However, it seems not the case when it comes to matters related to the ruling family regarding placing of their names on ECL.
In 2015 when former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan was heading the ministry certain parameters were designed for placement of names on ECL. These parameters along with a copy of notification are available with The Express Tribune. They include recommendations of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, the high courts, tribunals having equivalent status, the defence headquarters, intelligence agencies, NAB, the Federal Investigation Agency and the federal government.
The interior ministry’s committee which has the mandate to review the cases pertaining to placement of names on ECL comprises the additional secretary-III, the joint secretary (law), the political/FIA joint secretary, representative of the relevant department/agency and ECL section officer.
The former interior minister had taken measures to rationalise the ECL list in 2015. The federal government via a notification on September 16, 2015 had deleted 4,987 names from ECL and it had retained only those persons on the ECL whose period of placement was less than three years and/or those involved in anti-state activities, terrorism or associated with proscribed organisations, and whose names were placed by the ministry on the orders of superior courts.
As per review mechanism any person aggrieved by an order of the federal government may seek review on the decision within in 15 days and the government shall decide in this context within 60 days. The committee responsible for placement of names on ECL is supposed to hold quarterly review in consultation with referring authorities for fresh decisions in the cases where the period of the placement on ECL is about to expire.