Nawaz, Maryam likely to leave for London tomorrow

–Interior ministry sends issue of placing Sharifs on ECL to cabinet committee 

LAHORE: Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter, Maryam Nawaz, are expected to fly to London on Thursday after they were allowed by the court to visit ailing Kulsoom Nawaz.

“I have a flight at 9:00 am and will not be able to appear before you,” Maryam told returning officers on Wednesday while appearing for scrutiny of her nomination papers for NA-127 (Lahore).

To this, the returning officers told the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader that her counsel should appear tomorrow [Thursday] in place of her.

Earlier, on June 10, the top judge had allowed ex-prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz to meet Begum Kulsoom Nawaz, who is undergoing a treatment for cancer in London. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz will celebrate Eid in London as well.

CABINET TO DECIDE WHETHER SHARIFS WILL BE PLACED ON ECL:

On the other hand, the cabinet’s sub-committee will decide the issue of placing the names of the Sharif family on Exit Control List after the interior ministry transferred the matter to the cabinet.

The committee will prepare its recommendation for placing the names of Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz and Muhammad Safdar’s names on ECL.

The interior ministry has already sent the issue to cabinet committee. The meeting is the result of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) second-time request to interior minister to put the names of Sharif family on ECL as its first request was turned down by the interior ministry during the tenure of the PML-N government.

The ministry has sent the names to the committee that will decide the matter, the interior minister was quoted as saying. He further said the session will be summoned after Eid if ministers were available.

Earlier on Tuesday, after appearing in AC, Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif said that there are talks regarding placing my name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Lamenting that he may be barred from leaving the country, Nawaz said, “Those who broke the backbone of terrorists are being placed on ECL while those who brought terrorism to the country are being removed from the list.” “Those who disrespected the Constitution are being welcomed,” the former premier asserted.

NAB on Monday requested the Ministry of interior to place Nawaz, daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Capt (r) Safdar’s names on the ECL.

This was NAB’s second letter on the matter. It also requested the interior ministry to place Hasan and Hussain Nawaz on the ECL.