Hamza Shehbaz barred from leaving Pakistan, name on ‘blacklist’

Hamza's name is on ECL, say FIA sources

LAHORE: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shehbaz was reportedly barred from flying to Doha on Monday night as his name was on the ‘blacklist’ maintained by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

The leader of the opposition in Punjab Assembly was prevented from boarding a Qatar Airlines flight from Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport, PML-N sources said.

“He was sent back from the immigration counter and informed that his name was on the ‘blacklist’,” added party sources.

However, sources in the FIA said Hamza was prevented from leaving the country because his name is on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Party sources maintained that Hamza was not involved in any case. However, his brother, Salman Shehbaz, and he had been summoned by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in a probe related to the Ramzan Sugar Mills.

It is alleged that a bridge for the sugar mill was constructed and the payment of at least Rs200 million for the construction was made from the government exchequer.

Condemning the move, PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb accused immigration authorities of changing statements. “Hamza was first told that his name was on the blacklist. Later, the authorities said his name was placed on ECL.”

“Changing narratives shows that the immigration authorities are under pressure. No case in accountability and the high court has been proven against Hamza.”

Meanwhile, PML-N Spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb, while condemning blacklisting of Hamza and arrests of Khawaja Saad and Salman Rafique, said that the acts were a part of the PTI government’s vengeful political victimisation.

Reacting to the recent events, the former minister said the government had failed the people of Pakistan in its very first 100 days. “That is why it is using tactics such political victimisation to distract people’s attention away.”

Marriyum said Hamza didn’t board the plane nor was he offloaded. Hamza was told at the Immigration Counter that his name was blacklisted and that he could not leave the country upon which he turned back and went home.

The U-turn government and its administration in its signature move then said that Hamza was on the Exit Control List, he added.

“These changing stances of the immigration staff is clear evidence of political pressure by the PTI,” she said.

“Under what law has the travel ban been imposed on Hamza when the high court had clearly said that Hamza was not implicated in any case?” she questioned.

“This goes to show that the Sharif family is being singled out and targeted by the PTI for its political vengeance while Imran Khan’s beloved Zulfi Bukhari is flown out of the country despite being on the Exit Control List.”

“This act of the government is not about law or rules, but is a ruthless, bloodthirsty witch-hunt, which violates all legal reasoning in the most lethal abuse of power ever witnessed in the country,” she said.

“The PTI government and the accountability bureau needs to be reminded about the cases of Malam Jabba, helicopter case, Chiniot minerals case, Jahangir Tareen Money Laundering, EOBI, NICL, 80 billion Peshawar Metro Scandal, because they seemed to have had a loss of memory over these cases where public money was plundered by the billions,” she pointed out.

She demanded that the prime minister should make the performance of ministers public if he really believes in such an approach instead of staging a media-stunt.