In letter to Interior Ministry, NAB seeks to place Shahbaz Sharif on ECL

• Joint meeting of interior, law ministries to decide on the matter tomorrow.
• Final decision to be made by the federal cabinet.
• LHC had earlier allowed Shahbaz Sharif to fly abroad for treatment.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday penned a letter to the Interior Ministry, asking it to place PML-N President and Leader of the Opposition in National Assembly Shahbaz Sharif's name on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed, speaking to Geo News, said his ministry had received the request from the anti-graft watchdog. 

"Two ministries — law and interior — decide [who to place on ECL]."

Rasheed said a joint meeting of the interior and law ministries would be called tomorrow to take a decision regarding the matter. Following the meeting, the suggestions would be put before the federal cabinet, which will, in turn, take a final decision.

The interior minister said he did not know about the legal standing of the matter as the Lahore High Court (LHC) had earlier permitted Shahbaz to fly abroad for treatment.

NAB to challenge Shahbaz’s bail in SC

Earlier in the day, NAB had decided to approach the Supreme Court against bail granted to the PML-N President by the LHC.

NAB Lahore has decided to file an appeal in the apex court and the prosecution team of the anti-graft watchdog has started preparations in this regard.

The bureau has said that all actions are taken in accordance with the Constitution without any pressure.

It should be noted that on May 7, the LHC had released Shahbaz 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, Shahbaz Sharif was offloaded on Saturday 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).

The PML-N president was told he could not leave the country until the system was updated.

The federal government had also announced to file a petition against the permission granted to him to leave for abroad.

Federal Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry had said that Shahbaz’s guarantee could not be accepted as he had earlier given assurances about former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's return but nothing became of that.