NAB insists Sharif family be put on ECL

Again requests interior ministry to place issue before cabinet sub-committee

ISLAMABAD: With the caretaker government in place, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has renewed its efforts to place the names of the members of the Sharif family on the country’s no-fly list.

The anti-corruption watchdog on Monday requested afresh the Ministry of Interior to reconsider the issue of placing five of the Sharif family’s members, including deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif, on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The NAB has asked the Interior Ministry “to place afresh before the sub-committee of the cabinet” the issue of putting the names of Sharif, his children Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz and his son-in-law Capt (retd) Safdar on the ECL “keeping in view the fact that references against these accused are in the final stages”.

The NAB has once again expressed its apprehension that “they (accused) may leave the country to avoid legal outcome of the judgements (in pending references) which are expected to be announced shortly”.

It’s the third letter to this effect sent by the NAB to the interior ministry.



Through a written response, the interior ministry on June 1 – just four days before PML-N’s tenure ended – informed the NAB about the decision of the cabinet sub-committee in this regard. The cabinet sub-committee had raised objections on the request letter earlier sent by the NAB to the interior ministry.

According to new protocol, instead of the interior ministry, the cabinet sub-committee has been assigned the task of placing or excluding any name(s) from the ECL.

The last request was made by the NAB in February after the Sharif family filed an application with the accountability court, seeking a fortnight’s exemption from personal attendance from February 19 onwards on the grounds that the former first lady Kulsoom Nawaz’s treatment was in the final stages and the family needed to be with her in London.



Later, the family flew to London and came back after visiting her.

According to the ‘ECL placement pro forma’ of Sharif, Maryam and Safdar filled out by the NAB, the bureau mentioned that “in compliance with the Supreme Court orders dated July 28, 2017, investigations on the allegations of corruption, corrupt practices, and amassing assets beyond means against the accused were conducted and references are pending before the accountability court. There is every likelihood that they can flee abroad to avoid the process of law”.



First request to place names of the accused was made by the NAB in November last year, while the second in February this year.