SC rejects NAB's appeal to place name of Shehbaz Sharif on ECL

ISLAMABAD (92 News) - The Supreme Court rejected on Tuesday the appeal of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to place the name of Opposition Leader in National Assembly Shehbaz Sharif on the exit control list (ECL).

During the hearing, the court remarked that the NAB prosecutor could not identify any ambiguity or inadequacy in the Lahore High Court's verdict.

"NAB included the name of Shehbaz Sharif on the ECL during inquiry. Shehbaz Sharif is not a person whom no one knows and he has escaped," he added. The NAB prosecutor told the court that Shehbaz is currently in Kot Lakhpat jail.

Justice Muneeb Akhtar asked the prosecutor the purpose of placing his name on the ECL if he is already in prison. “What purpose is it going to serve?” NAB prosecutor said that many people flee abroad and then it becomes difficult to investigate them, adding that six people are absconding in a reference against Shehbaz.

The bureau filed the appeal last year after the Lahore High Court had directed the authorities to remove his name from the ECL.

Shehbaz is currently at Lahore’s Lakhpat jail on judicial remand in the money laundering case. The opposition leader was arrested on September 28.