–Media report says NAB wants to put Sharif family’s names on ECL to prevent them from leaving Pakistan till trial ends
–PPP MNA raises ECL issue in NA session, asks why Nawaz Sharif’s name isn’t on the list
ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Interior has turned down a request of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) seeking the inclusion of the names of the Sharif family members on the Exit Control List (ECL), media reports claimed on Friday.
This request was put forward by NAB over the suspicion that the Sharifs may attempt to leave the country before the trials conclude, according to the report.
The ministry has reportedly been refusing to entertain NAB’s request on the grounds that it would place the Sharif family members’ names on the ECL only on a court order.
NAB officials, on the other hand, say that this is just a “delay tactic” by the ministry since, according to NAB, the ministry has never refused their requests about putting people’s names on ECL, before.
Currently, a four-member committee headed by an additional secretary of the ministry places or deletes names from the ECL on the recommendations of courts, tribunals and agencies.
The ministry, however, has decided to strip the committee of its powers to regulate the ECL, according to the report. A new summary has been devised in this regard, which if passed, will only allow the interior minister or secretary to insert or delete names from the list. The summary has yet to be sent to the federal cabinet.
‘NAWAZ’S NAME STILL NOT ON ECL’:
Earlier on Friday, Pakistan People’s Party MNA Naveed Qamar questioned the procedure for putting someone’s name on the ECL, referring to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.
During a National Assembly (NA) session, Qamar said that the names should be put on ECL before [court proceedings] start against them; “why is this policy not being followed in this case?” he asked.
He further said that the double standards regarding the Sharifs “cannot be followed”.
Responding to Qamar, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar said that the policy of putting people’s names on the ECL has changed since back in the day people’s names used to put on the ECL even after “domestic disputes”.
He further said that this decision is now taken by a committee of the Interior Ministry and that the roles of interior secretary and other ministers are now close to zero in this regard. He added that these decisions should be made by the ECL committee on merit after reviewing the recommendations of the NAB.
Nisar said if the committee has made this decision then the reasons should be presented before the assembly, adding “if the committee has not taken this decision then it is the violation of the same merit which they have mentioned.”
Nisar concluded by saying that if NAB’s recommendations are being ignored “it shows that decisions are being made somewhere else”.
