Maryam moves LHC again for removal from ECL

PML-N leader files second petition after govt fails to decide her matter within seven days

LAHORE/ISLAMABAD: PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz on Saturday again moved the Lahore High Court seeking the removal of her name from the no-fly list and a one-time permission to travel to abroad for six weeks so she could be with her ailing father.

She filed the second petition after the government failed to decide her matter within seven days in accordance with the direction of the LHC.

In the petition, Maryam told the court that her father’s health was critical and she was under unexplainable stress because of her inability to be with him at a time when he needed extra care. She added that her father was dependent on her.



The PML-N leader contended that her name was placed on the ECL without notice, which is violation of her fundamental rights. She argued that the “so-called recommendations” of NAB were acted upon in a mechanical manner and without judicious application of mind in contravention of the law.

Maryam added that she had earlier filed a petition seeking the removal of her name from ECL and the court had referred the matter to a review committee for an appropriate order within seven days.

She complained that the cabinet had not decided the matter within the given time and the government was not responding to her lawyer.

A spokesperson for the law ministry has said the recommendations for whether Maryam’s name should be removed from the ECL or not had been drafted and would be presented before the federal cabinet during its meeting on Tuesday.

The recommendations prepared have been prepared by a subcommittee of the cabinet chaired by Federal Law Minister Farogh Naseem. The government will later inform the LHC about its final decision.



On December 9, the LHC had directed the interior ministry to decide within seven days a request from Maryam seeking removal of her name from the no-fly list.

A division bench of the LHC – headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi – also issued a notice to NAB for Dec 16 on Maryam’s civil miscellaneous application in which she has sought return of her passport and one-time permission to fly to London for six weeks to see her father.

Maryam was arrested by NAB on August 8 in a case regarding shady business transactions at the Chaudhry Sugar Mills where she is a major shareholder. On Nov 4, she was granted bail by the LHC which ordered her to furnish two surety bonds worth Rs20 million, and deposit an additional Rs70million and surrender her passport to secure her release.