Court orders to withdraw Sheikh Rashid name from ECL

Lahore: The Lahore High Court’s (LHC) Rawalpindi bench has ordered to withdraw former federal minister Sheikh Rashid's name from Exit Control List (ECL).

The court has expressed indignation to additional interior secretary regarding the withdrawal’s plea of Sheikh Rashid from ECL.

According to the details, a division bench consisted on justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and justice Mirza Waqas Rauf heard the plea. Sheikh Rashid appeared with his lawyer Sardar Abd-ur-Razaq Khan in the court.

The additional interior secretary and National Accountability Bureau’s (NAB) prosecutor also appeared in the court.

Court inquired about the interior secretary from the additional interior secretary.

On which the additional interior secretary replied that the interior secretary is not available in court because he is busy in Supreme Court (SC).

The court asked about that why did you put Sheikh Rashid’s name in the ECL.

Additional interior secretary responded that NAB was referred Sheikh Rashid’s name in ECL in 190-million-pound scandal.

NAB prosecutor told the court that Sheikh Rashid was a part of federal cabinet at that time that is why his name is included in ECL in 190-million-pound case and after the investigation completed Sheikh Rashid’s name was removed from the accused persons list.

Justice Sadaqat questioned that if Sheikh Rashid is not required in this case then who put his name into ECL.

The court gave two hours to additional interior secretary and asked him to submit the detailed report otherwise the court will take strict action against him.

However, the court ordered Sheikh Rashid that he can go for Umrah. The additional interior secretary affirmed to court that the authority is withdrawing Sheikh Rashid's name immediately.