Pakistan opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif on no-fly list, files contempt petition against govt
May 19, 2021
Islamabad [Pakistan], May 19 : Pakistan's opposition leader Shahbaz Sharif on Monday filed a contempt petition against the government for the inclusion of his name on no-fly list.
Shahbaz's name had been placed on the exit control list (ECL) after approval from the federal cabinet, Pakistan's Interior Ministry informed, reported Gulf News.
Shahbaz submitted a contempt petition in the Lahore High Court (LHC) against six officials for barring him from flying abroad in violation of the court's order granting him permission to fly.
The petition said that the reason given for not permitting opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) President to go abroad for medical treatment was "lame and false" and the respondents "committed gross contempt of the honourable court".
The petition filed has named the secretary of the Interior Ministry, Director General of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Director FIA Punjab, and the Deputy Director, Inspector and Sub-Inspector immigration at Lahore airport, reported Gulf News.
Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said that the decision was taken in light of the money laundering case involving Rs 700 billion against Shahbaz Sharif.
"He [Shahbaz] was the guarantor for his brother Nawaz. But instead of bringing him back, he was trying to flee," Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed said in a press conference in Islamabad.
Other Sharif family members who are now in London were also facing similar corruption charges in Pakistan courts, he further said.
"If Nawaz Sharif did not return then why would Shahbaz?" the Interior Minister remarked, adding that Shahbaz had 15 days to file a review application with the ministry.
He also said that Shahbaz had not submitted any medical documents for travelling abroad or shared details of the treatment for his ailment.
On May 8, Shahbaz Sharif, the brother of three-time former premier Nawaz Sharif, was not allowed by the FIA to leave the country for the United Kingdom via Doha. When he reached the Lahore airport, the immigration officials informed him that he could not board the flight as his name was on the 'person not in list (PNIL)'.
Meanwhile, the interim order issued on May 7 by LHC granted Shahbaz conditional permission to go abroad for medical treatment "keeping in view the past conduct and travel history," and his name not being is not in ECL then.
The order also said that even if Sharif's name was added in the blacklist it "will not stop the petitioner from one-time visit to UK from May 8, 2021, to July 3, 2021 for his medical check-up as per his personal commitment made before this court."
