Cabinet approves removal of Bilawal, Murad’s name from ECL

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – The federal cabinet on Thursday approved the removal of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s names from the exit control list (ECL). Prime Minister Imran Khan presided over a meeting of the federal cabinet to discuss the 17-point agenda. During the meeting, the cabinet approved Bilawal and Murad’s name from the ECL in light of the Supreme Court’s verdict. The sources said that a special committee formed for reviewing names of people on ECL briefed the cabinet members. Law Minister Barrister Faroogh Naseem briefed the cabinet over the legal aspects of the Supreme Court’s verdict. The minister said that its constitutional responsibility of the government to implement the apex court verdict. On Wednesday, the SC issued detailed judgment, in which, ordered the federal government to remove Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s names from exit control list (ECL). Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Mian Saqib Nisar on January, 7 directed government to remove Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s name from Exit Control List (ECL). In the SC detailed verdict, “As far as the recommendations relating to Mr Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Mr Murad Ali Shah, Chief Minister, Sindh are concerned, the learned counsel for the JIT has frankly conceded that the material against the said persons may need re-examination to arrive at the correct conclusions.” “Further, their names may have been included in the list of persons who have been recommended to be placed on ECL, without careful examination of the material available on record and the ramifications and consequences of such orders for the said persons.” “In this regard, it has been pointed out that Mr Murad Ali Shah is the Chief Minister, Sindh. It would cause serious problems in performance of his official functions in case his name is placed on the ECL and his movements are restricted. We accordingly direct that the names of the said persons for the time being be removed from the ECL,” the verdict reads. On December 31, the SC had questioned how the government had placed the names of these people on the no-fly list without its approval. Among many other senior politicians in Sindh, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s name was also on the list and was of particular concern to the court.