Daily Times

ISLAMABAD – Minister for Interior Affairs Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Saturday said that the name of National Assembly opposition leader and Pakistan Muslim League-N president Shehbaz Sharif had not placed on the exit control list (ECL) yet.

In a video message, he said that a summary to this effect was lying with the federal cabinet and it was expected to be received by the Interior Ministry either on Monday or Tuesday. He said the interior and law ministries would decide on it in ‘accordance with the law and the constitution.’

It is to mention here that a sub-committee of the federal cabinet recommended to place the name of Shehbaz Sharif on the ECL following the recommendation from the National Accountability Bureau. Officials said that the recommendation has been conveyed to the cabinet on May 12 that will make a final decision into the matter.

The interior minister said that corona positivity ratio had come down in the country due to standard operating procedures compliance during Eid holidays. He commended efforts of the National Command and Control Centre, army, police and other institutions in that regard.

NO-FLY LIST

He said that the nation also responded the anti-Covid protocols with responsibility. Earlier, Information Minister Chaudhry Fawad had said Shehbaz Sharif’s guarantee could not be accepted as he had earlier given assurances about his elder brother Nawaz Sharif’s return but nothing became of that.

On May 7, the Lahore High Court had released Shehbaz Sharif on bail in a case pertaining to assets beyond means. Later, the court also allowed him to go abroad for eight weeks on medical grounds. However, the opposition leader was offloaded last week at Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport from a Doha-bound flight by the immigration officials as his name was on the provincial identification list (PNIL).