Bukhari’s name likely to be taken off ECL by Nov 27

Ministry of Interior to submit reply in IHC today: deputy attorney general

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has received replies from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) and the Federal Investigation Agency in a case pertaining to the removal of the name of Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfikar Bukhari from the no-fly list.

The Ministry of Interior will likely submit its reply on Tuesday (today).

A division bench, comprising Justice Amir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani, heard the case.

Bukhari’s Counsel Sikander Bashir apprised the bench that baseless allegations were levelled against his client.

Counsel Bashir said NAB had put the name of his client on the Exit Control List (ECL) as he was not able to appear before the bureau to answer queries regarding his offshore companies. “Now, NAB’s reply is before the court that Bukhari appeared twice before the bureau,” said the counsel.

Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood assured the bench that the Ministry of Interior would submit its reply on Tuesday.

The case has been adjourned till November 27.

Bukhari’s name was put on the ECL after the cabinet committee’s approval on NAB’s request.



Earlier, Bukhari’s name was included in the blacklist and was later removed from it on the orders of the IHC.

In July, the IHC maintained a petition filed by Bukhari seeking removal of his name from the blacklist and dismissed another petition questioning his and PTI Chairman Imran Khan’s (at that time running for the PM Office) use of the Noor Khan airbase in Islamabad for a private flight to Saudi Arabia.

On July 15, the IHC permitted the Ministry of Interior to decide on a NAB application, seeking to put Bukhari’s name on the ECL in connection with establishing offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands.

IHC’s Justice Aamer Farooq held that the Ministry of Interior 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.