Qureshi says govt put names on ECL in haste

ISLAMABAD (92 News) – Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi said on Wednesday that the government put the names of 172 people on exit control list (ECL) in haste. Speaking to the floor of National Assembly, Qureshi said that the names were put on the ECL on behalf of the joint investigation report (JIT) report, being investigative in fake accounts case. The foreign minister remarked that the NA that the decision on removing the names of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah from the ECL will be made after receiving detailed written judgment of the Supreme Court. FM Qureshi said that the chief justice never said that the names should be removed from the ECL, rather he asked for the names to be reviewed. “We will review the recommendations of the chief justice,” he added. Reacting to the walkout of opposition in previous day, the minister criticized that the parliament will run with the collective efforts of the government and opposition. “Opposition should not leave the parliament after giving its point of view rather they should stay to hear the reply from the government.” Qureshi also commented that the ruling members as theoretically and counting of votes on the government bill was more than opposition so they walked. Lamenting at the protest in front of the NA speaker’s dice, he commented that he supported the opposition leader for making Public Accounts chairman (PAC). The minister mentioned that if the rule of law was not followed in the parliament, everyone has to face loss. He invited all political parties across the spectrum to show unity to resolve such national issues. Former PM Shahid Khaqan Abbasi remarked that the least the government could do was remove Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s name from the no-fly list. “The government is waiting for the copy of the court’s verdict for removing the Bilawal’s name from ECL, but nothing will be damaged if the name was removed,” he expressed his opinion. Abbasi further said that why such a person placed on the ECL who did not appointed as any government’s designation. PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf commented that if the government felt happy to place name of the PPP’s leader on the ECL, they should have to do so. He also asked why the names of Zulfi Bukhari and Liaquat Jatoi were removed from the ECL? “You put the names of those elected by the people of Pakistan on the ECL,” he remarked. PPP leader Naveed Qamar said that the incumbent government is being used the card of ECL for taking political revenge. “The government put the name on ECL without waiting of the court’s order and the names of PTI leader is being removed within 24 hours,” he said. On the debate, Minister for Human Rights Shireen Mazari said that the chief justice never said that the names should be removed from the ECL, rather he asked for the names to be reviewed. On December 31, the Supreme Court 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. If it was the investigation team's request to have the names added, you should have waited for a court order, said Chief Justice Saqib Nisar. The top judge called for the complete records of the 172 names placed on the ECL.