Dr Asim’s counsel asks agencies to remove name from ECL

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KARACHI: Counsel for Dr Asim Hussain, former petroleum minister and PPP leader, has written letters to different agencies and departments for removal of Asim’s name from Exit Control List (ECL) according to the order of Supreme Court (SC).

In the letters, the counsel stated that the SC had allowed Dr Asim to go abroad. “Dr Asim wants to go abroad for treatment so his name should be removed from ECL,” he urged.

The letters, written to the Immigration Department, NAB, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and others, stated that the PPP leader had submitted surety money of Rs6 million against which the court allowed him to go abroad for a month.

Meanwhile, Asim also filed an application in the anti-terrorism court for issuance of a No Objection Certificate (NOC) while the court also sought the schedule of his trip abroad.

The SC had directed relevant authorities to remove the name of Dr Asim Hussain from ECL on August 29. The decision was made by a three-member apex bench, headed by Justice Dost Muhammad Khan of SC after hearing arguments of his counsel Barrister Latif Khosa.

Asim was placed on the ECL in November 2015. He subsequently petitioned the courts to have his name removed.

The PPP leader, who is also a close aide of former president and PPP co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, faces several charges including corruption references filed by NAB of Rs479 billion. He is also alleged to have provided treatment and protection to terrorists at a hospital owned by him.