Islamabad – Staff Reporter:
The Government of Pakistan has placed the name of PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif on the Exit Control List, said Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry in a tweet on Monday.
“All records will be updated,” he remarked.
The PML-N president is facing multiple corruption references filed by NAB, including a money laundering case.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said, while addressing a press conference, that the decision has been taken because of the following reasons:
- The case will be delayed further
- Difficulty to bring him back to Pakistan
- Five members of the Sharif family are absconding already
- There are four approvers in this case
This is the first time that a verdict was given the same day a petition was filed. “Shehbaz was trying to flee the country,” he remarked. We want fair treatment for all prisoners and this is not fair. “What are the chances that Shehbaz Sharif will return when his brother Nawaz Sharif has yet to come back?”
He remarked that Shehbaz did not submit any medical report. “We don’t know much about his disease. We don’t even know if it can be treated in Pakistan or not.”
The PML-N can submit a review petition in the next 15 days if he feels the decision is unfair, Rasheed shared.
A sub-committee of the federal cabinet recommended placing Shehbaz’s name on the ECL last week. The recommendation was made at the request of the National Accountability Bureau.
On May 7, the Lahore High Court granted permission to Sharif to travel abroad for medical treatment. He had told the court that he has been battling cancer and has an appointment with his doctor on May 20 in London.
As the UK has imposed a travel ban on Pakistan, Shehbaz was supposed to fly to Qatar, spend 10 days there and then leave for London. He was, however, offloaded from a flight to Doha at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport on May 8.
If Shehbaz leaves, he won’t ever return
Sheikh Rasheed
In an interview, Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that five people from the Sharif family are on the run after the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. “If Shehbaz leaves now, he will never return just like his brother didn’t.”
He shared that the government will discuss and make efforts to place Shehbaz’s name on the no-fly list.
