NAB rejects rumours of putting Sharifs' names on ECL

LAHORE - The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has clarified that no letter has been written to Ministry of Interior to bar deposed prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his family from travelling abroad.

According to Sabah News, NAB spokesperson termed such news items baseless, adding that no request has been made to the interior ministry to put the names of Sharif family on Exit Control List (ECL) for not appearing before the authority to join investigation regarding references against them.

Meanwhile, the ministry has also confirmed that it has not received any letter in this regard.

Earlier, news was circulating on the media after Sharif family did not appear before the NAB despite two summons that Lahore NAB has sent a letter to the ministry seeking to add name of Nawaz Sharif and his family members to ECL.

The former premier is set to leave for London on August 24 for a medical checkup.

NAB Summons

The anti-graft watchdog had issue two summons to the members of the Sharif family to appear before the investigators at Lahore office but they refused to appear citing review petition against the Panama verdict in the Supreme Court.

The NAB had summoned the Sharif family for enquiry regarding Al-Aziza Steel Mills and London flats to prepare references.

Supreme Court Orders

On July 28, Supreme Court of Pakistan declaring the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif disqualified on Friday had ordered National Accountability Bureau to file references against the members of Sharif family and reach a decision within six weeks.

The 5-o verdict had been announced by a five-judge bench, headed by Justice Asif Saeed Khosa – the same judge who had commenced his dissenting note in the April 20 judgment with a quote from Mario Puzo’s novel The Godfather and declared Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ‘disqualified’ for being dishonest to the nation.

The court ordered the NAB to file references against Nawaz Sharif, Maryam Nawaz, Hussain Nawaz, Hassan Nawaz, Captain (r) Safdar and Finance Minister Ishaq Dar within two weeks.

The court also disqualified Finance Minister Ishaq Dar and Captain (r) Safdar from office in the landmark decision.

The larger bench also directed the NAB to decide the cases within six months.