PML-N's Rana Mashhood barred from travelling abroad

NAB summons former Punjab minister on July 8

LAHORE: The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on Saturday barred former Punjab minister Rana Mashhood from travelling to the United States, Express News reported.

As per FIA officials, the Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz (PML-N) leader was not allowed to leave the country because his name was on the interior ministry's travel blacklist.

They said his name had been added to the list due to an ongoing investigation by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

 

The former minister was sent home from the Allama Iqbal International Airport after immigration officials informed him that was name was on the country's blacklist.

The immigration authorities from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) tipped the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) about Mashood's "attempt to flee the country".

Airport officials allowed Mashood to head back home after NAB authorities failed to obtain arrest warrants for him.

The bureau has summoned the PML-N leader on July 8 in connection with a corruption reference in the Punjab Youth Festival.

Sources privy to the development revealed that Mashood's name was included in the blacklist upon the request of the anti-graft body.

In October, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Mashhood had stirred controversy by suggesting that his party would take over Punjab in the next two months.

Mashood further suggested that party President Shehbaz Sharif had struck an understanding with the establishment, implying that his efforts did much to ameliorate the situation for the party.

After the remarks, the PML-N rubbished Mashood's claims and suspended his membership from the party. A three-member committee comprising Raja Zafarul Haq, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Rana Tanveer had been formed to probe the matter.

Mashhood’s interview was also met with harsh criticism outside the party for “trying to sway the by-elections with misleading statement”.  The party was quick to distance itself from the statement and termed it as 'Mashhood’s personal opinion'. The ex-minister later retracted his remarks.