Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Monday challenged all to prove if he telephoned anyone or used his influence to get his old friend off the Exit Control List (ECL).
Speaking to a local news channel, Khan reiterated his party leaders’ earlier statements about the incident that he did not telephone anyone or even knew about the whole fiasco and it was Zulfi Bukhari himself who followed a “routine procedure” to temporarily remove his name off the no-fly list.
He also denied the allegation that he contacted caretaker Interior Minister Azam Khan to request temporarily remove Zulfi Bukhari’s name off ECL.
About the allegations against Bukhari, the PTI chief said that his friend has all his business in United Kingdom and is not answerable to authorities in Pakistan.
It is pertinent to note here that Zulfi Bukhari flew with Imran Khan to Saudi Arabia on June 11 despite being on the Exit Control List (ECL) for dodging an inquiry by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).
Zulfi Bukhari is accused of owning offshore companies and having assets beyond his known sources of income and had reportedly dodged several notices from the anti-graft authority.
A letter written by the ECL section officer to immigration and passports director general said that Ministry of Interior has decided to grant one time permission to Zulfi Bukhari for performance of Umrah.
The permission was reportedly granted within hours after Bukhari was not allowed to fly with Khan for Umrah by FIA and immigration staff.
