Names of Hasan, Hussain Nawaz not placed on blacklist

• NAB’s request to place Hasan, Hussain’s name on ECL awaits approval by caretaker cabinet

ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry on Wednesday contradicted news of placing names of deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s sons, Hasan and Hussain Nawaz on the blacklist.

Interior Minister Muhammad Azam while talking to a private TV channel said, “Hasan and Hussain’s names have not been placed on the blacklist. As of now, only red warrants have been issued to the brothers.”

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has requested for the names of Hasan and Hussain to be placed on the Exit Control List, on which the caretaker cabinet has not passed a decision.

Earlier, reports were circulating saying that the names of Hasan and Hussain Nawaz have been placed on the blacklist and they will not be able to travel on their Pakistani passports.

According to earlier reports, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had reportedly written to Interpol Headquarters seeking red warrants for the brothers.

The accountability court in Pakistan has issued warrants in the Avenfield Reference case and had issued orders to immediately produce Nawaz Sharif’s sons before the court.

Earlier on December 4, an accountability court had declared Hassan and Hussain proclaimed offenders in three corruption references filed by NAB.

The anti-corruption watchdog had also presented a report in court regarding property owned by the brothers, which stated that the accountability bureau did not find any property in the country owned by them.

The brothers, who reside outside Pakistan, are accused in all three references ordered by the Supreme Court (SC) in its July 28 verdict in the Panama Papers case: Avenfield properties, Azizia Steel Mills and Hill Metals Establishment, and Flagship Investment Ltd.

Judge Mohammad Bashir had on Oct 9, accepted NAB’s plea to declare Hussain and Hassan proclaimed offenders and separated their proceedings in the three references filed against them.

Their non-bailable arrest warrants, issued on October 2, remain in effect.

The judge had also directed for initiating the process of declaring them proclaimed offenders.

On Oct 12, NAB posted the court’s proclamation order on the main gate of the Sharif family’s residences in Jati Umra and Model Town, Lahore.

NAB Rawalpindi had stated the action was taken in light of the accountability court’s directions for the initiation of the process to declare them proclaimed offenders, as they failed to show up in the court’s last hearing.

The court had also ordered the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) to freeze the assets of Hassan and Hussain.