PM Imran Khan to discuss opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif's name on Pakistan's Exit Control List
May 17, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], May 17 : Prime Minister Imran Khan on Monday will discuss Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif's name for Exit Control List (ECL) with the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and government members.
During the meeting today, the matter of placing Shahbaz Sharif's name on the ECL will come under discussion. Apart from this, the premier will also issue guidelines related to the government's strategy to deal with the opposition, reported The News International.
Moreover, the ongoing Israeli atrocities in Palestine and Pakistan's role in voicing its support and concerns for Gazans on an international level will also be discussed, Geo News reported.
Commenting on the matter, Minister for Interior Shaikh Rashid said that Shahbaz Sharif's name has been placed on the Provisional National Identification List and he is not on a blacklist, as is the common misconception. He said Shahbaz's name has not been placed on the ECL yet.
"The cabinet has approved the inclusion of Shahbaz Sharif on the ECL as he's trying to flee the country," Shaikh Rashid said.
He said that the government will challenge the Lahore High Court (LHC) decision to allow Shahbaz to go abroad for treatment, in the Supreme Court, today.
Earlier on May 8, the PML-N leader was barred from flying from the Lahore airport to the UK via Qatar in the early hours of the day by the Federal Investigation Authority (FIA), hours after the LHC granted him permission to travel abroad once for medical treatment.
On April 22, a referee bench of the LHC ruled in favour of granting bail to the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly in an asset beyond means and money laundering case, disagreeing with Justice Asjad Javed Ghural's dissenting note to the decision of Justice Sardar Muhammad Sarfraz Dogar.
