Ministry of Interior initiates process to place Nawaz, Maryam on ECL

Sources suggest subcommittee has given its approval

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Interior Azam Khan on Saturday initiated the process to place the names of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on Exit Control List (ECL), sources told The Express Tribune.

The approval came during a subcommittee of the cabinet meeting chaired by the minister, said the sources.

Caretaker Federal Information and Broadcasting Minister Barrister Ali Zafar, who also holds the portfolio of law minister, confirmed that the subcommittee, which is responsible for placing the names of individuals on the ECL, has formally given approval for placing the name of Sharif and his daughter Maryam on the list, according to sources.

The former prime minister, who had arrived in Pakistan from London on Friday, is currently serving his sentence in Adiala Jail, while his daughter is also an inmate of the same prison.

According to sources in the Ministry of Interior, the ministry provided standard operating procedure (SOP) in this regard to the subcommittee which then recommended placing the names of Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz on the ECL.



It is also learnt that the federal cabinet would give final approval to put their names on the ECL mostly likely during next week. The subcommittee consists of three members including the interior minister, law minister and the finance minister for giving recommendations to place the names of individuals on the no-fly list.

Earlier on June 11, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had recommended that the Ministry of Interior place Nawaz Sharif and his family members including Captain (retd) Safdar on the ECL due to the investigation against them in the Avenfield Properties case.

However, the sub-committee comprising caretaker federal ministers avoided adhering to the recommendations.