Cabinet sub-committee recommends placing Shahbaz Sharif's name on ECL

Talking to the media, Federal Minister for Interior Sheikh Rasheed said that in the meeting, the NAB recommendations were reviewed after which it was endorsed and forwarded to the federal cabinet for final approval for placing former Punjab CM name on ECL.

While the Federal cabinet will give final approval to put Shahbaz Sharif's name on ECL, he added.

The meeting of the sub-committee of the Federal Cabinet's Exit Control List was attended by Law Minister Forough Naseem, Interior Minister Sheikh Rashid, Accountability Advisor Shehzad Akbar and National Accountability Bureau (NAB) officials.

It may be recalled that Shahbaz Sharif had sought permission from the court to go abroad for a medical treatment that was granted to him. However, NAB has requested the Interior Ministry to include Shahbaz Sharif's name in the ECL which is now being considered.

It should be noted that on May 7, the LHC had released Shahbaz Sharif on bail in a case about 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.

Background

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on June 11, 2019, arrested Leader of Opposition in Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz from the premises of Lahore High Court (LHC) in connection with money laundering and holding assets beyond means.

On February 11, 2020, LHC rejected Hamza Shahbaz's bail plea in illegal assets and money laundering cases.

The anti-corruption watchdog filed a money laundering reference against Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif, Hamza Shahbaz, Salman Shabaz and other family members in the accountability court on August 17, 2020.

On August 20, 2020, an accountability court of Lahore approved the money laundering reference for a hearing against Shahbaz Sharif and his family.

On September 28, 2020, Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif was taken into custody after Lahore High Court (LHC) rejected his bail plea in connection with a money laundering case.

Shabaz Sharif was previously arrested on October 05, 2018, in connection with Ramzan Sugar Mills and Ashiana Housing Scheme cases.

On November 11, 2020, Shehbaz Sharif and Hamza Shehbaz Sharif were indicted in a money-laundering reference by the accountability court.

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on February 24, 2021, ordered to release of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader Hamza Shahbaz from jail. The verdict was announced by a two-member bench headed by Justice Sarfraz Dogar. Court-ordered opposition leader in the provincial assembly to submit two indemnity bonds worth one million each.

On March 26, 2021, Shehbaz Sharif moved the bail petition through his counsel Amjad Pervaiz in which it was stated he is in jail for months and it will take time to conclude the trial in the case.

“All records are with the anti-corruption watchdog and no recovery was due to be made in the case. Shehbaz Sharif is unable to fulfil his constitutional responsibilities as opposition leader in the national assembly due to being jailed. He is continuously attending the hearing, hence the court is requested to issue his release on bail,” the petition added.

About the reference

NAB has accused the Sharif family of accumulating assets worth Rs. 7,328 million, in the last 30 years without justifying the means of income.

The accountability bureau has nominated 20 people in the reference including Shahbaz Sharif’s wife Nusrat, his sons Hamza and Suleman, and daughters Rabia Imran and Javeria Ali. Suleman Shahbaz and his sister Rabia Imran have been declared proclaimed offenders in the case already.

NAB has accused the former chief minister of committing corruption by involving his family members, front men, employees, close fellows and moneychangers. The anti-graft watchdog further alleged that the PML-N President created an organized system of money-laundering formulated fake sources of income to justify the assets acquired beyond known sources of income.

As per NAB, the corruption falls under the National Accountability Ordinance 1999 and money laundering as outlined in the Anti-Money Laundering Act 2010.

The other nominated accused in the case are Nisar Ahmad, Ali Muhammad Khan, Muhammad Shoaib Qamar, Qasim Qayyum, Syed Muhammad Tahir Naqvi, Masroor Anwer, Muhammad Usman, Rashid Karamat, Fazal Dad Abbasi and Haroon Yousafzai.