Zulfi Bukhari's name on ECL: IHC allows ministry to proceed on NAB’s plea

NAB had sought interior ministry's permission on putting his name on exit control list

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has permitted the Ministry of Interior to decide an application of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), which seeks placing name of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf Chairman Imran Khan’s close aide Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari alias Zulfi Bukhari on the Exit Control List (ECL) in connection with establishing offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands (BVI).

IHC’s Justice Aamer Farooq has held that the Ministry of Interior (MoI) shall be at liberty to take appropriate action in accordance with the law on NAB’s application for placing Bukhari's name on the ECL.

Justice Farooq, while allowing one prayer clause of Bukhari’s petition seeking removal of his name from the ECL and the blacklist, has ordered the ministry and Directorate General of Immigration and Passports to “do the needful”.



However, “It is needless to observe that [the interior ministry] shall be at liberty to take appropriate action in accordance with the law on the application of [NAB] for placing the name of petitioner on the ECL,” the order reads.

In the detailed order, Justice Farooq has observed that it is an admitted position that NAB is conducting an inquiry against Bukhari due to various allegations that he, in connivance with others, has established offshore companies in the BVI. The judge added that it was on that basis that NAB made a request to the ministry that Bukhari’s name is placed on ECL inasmuch as if he leaves the country, the same shall hamper the inquiry, as the petitioner is a dual national of Pakistan and the United Kingdom.