PM Imran to review names on ECL

Premier convenes cabinet meeting following SC remarks in fake accounts case

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Imran Khan in light of the Supreme Court’s order has decided to review the decision of placing names of 172 people including Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The matter has been included as part of an important cabinet meeting to be held today (Wednesday).

According to sources, the federal cabinet has prepared a 20-point agenda for the session while matter pertaining to the inclusion of names in ECL is put at number four in the agenda list.

The Prime Minister Office has also asked the federal ministers of interior and law each to present their opinion on the matter during the meeting. According to sources, the federal cabinet will positively look into the matter after the statements were given by the top court, especially the remarks of Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar in which he hinted the head of the JIT had overstepped his mandate by including names of 172 people on the ECL in light of the JIT report.



The federal cabinet will hence review the decision of putting the names on ECL on basis of the remarks given by the CJP, sources said adding a special cabinet committee may be formed to further discuss the matter in details and present its report in the next cabinet session.

Moreover, sources have also revealed the prime minister has called up the cabinet’s session before his tour to Turkey keeping in light the directions of the apex court. The premier is set to leave for a two-day visit to Turkey on January 3.

In its previous meeting, the government had directed the authorities to place names of 172 people on the no-fly list, including names of PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto, co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, his sister Faryal Talpur and Chief Minister of Sindh Murad Ali Shah.

The recommendation for placing the names of those named in JIT investigation was made by head of the committee formed to probe the fake accounts case and money laundering. However, CJP Saqib Nisar has disapproved of the recommendation.



Meanwhile, the 20-point agenda issued for the meeting includes approval of the coordination council for eradication of poverty, exchange of convicts between Pakistan and China, appointment of members at the Federal Cabinet Nursing Council, approval of a $5 million grant for Dubai Expo, reconstruction of the Quaid-e-Azam Mazar Management Board and grant of Euros 130 million for Fringe Development Agency managing the Peshawar Sustainable Rapid Transit Corridor Project.

The agenda also includes the issue of substandard statins and formation of a high-level committee for the transformation of Karachi. In addition, the meeting will also discuss the promotion of defence support between Pakistan and Japan.