ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet led by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has granted the interior minister, a one-time exception to place or remove a name from the Exit Control List (ECL), in case of urgency.
According to a local media outlet, the cabinet has sanctioned recommendations of a sub-committee to establish another cabinet sub-committee led by the interior minister to dispose of three main category cases in the future.
The cabinet meeting held on May 3, directed the Interior Division to align the ECL rules with ECL policy and remove any contradiction.
The cabinet also approved main recommendations of a three-member cabinet sub-committee formed under the chair of Federal Law Minister Mahmood Bashir Virk with a mandate to consider all fresh and old cases and submit proposals, said the minutes of the meeting.
From here on the cabinet committee will dispose of cases of three categories:
- Category one is related to all cases involving Supreme Court, high courts and tribunals with equivalent status.
- Category two is related to cases of espionage, subversion, acts of terrorism, conspiracy against state and any act prejudicial to the integrity, security or defiance of Pakistan.
- Category three is related to people belonging to proscribed organisations.
The local media outlet also reported that the cabinet had been informed of the 40 cases that have been received and the decisions are pending.
Earlier, the sub-committee under the leadership of law minister looked into three cases in the first meeting that included, ex-post-facto approval in respect of 638 cases were placed on the ECL after 18 the August 2016, ex-post –facto approval in respect of 273 cases which were deleted from list during same period and 8 fresh cases added.
Furthermore, it was directed to the cabinet that the sub-committee had looked into each case strictly on merit basis.
A category wise list may be prepared regarding 638 cases which were placed on the ECL after 18th August 2016 and 273 cases deleted during the same period.
