Cabinet defers decision to remove Bilawal, CM Murad’s names from ECL

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Thursday deferred its decision on removal of Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah’s names from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The cabinet, which met today with Prime Minister Imran Khan in the chair to discuss a 26-point agenda, decided to defer its decision on removing Bilawal Bhutto, Murad Ali Shah and other suspects’ names from the no-fly list, after the Supreme Court earlier this week ordered the relevant authorities to take certain names off the ECL in the long-running mega money laundering and fake bank accounts case.

According to sources, the cabinet members agreed to wait for a written order from the apex court before making any decision on whether to allow or bar the suspects from flying abroad. The matter will be discussed again during the next cabinet meeting, the sources added.

A three-judge Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice Saqib Nisar on January 7 ordered removal of Bilawal and Shah’s names, along with some others’, from the ECL and forwarded the case to the National Accountability Bureau.

During the cabinet meeting, a draft was expected to be presented regarding a constitutional amendment for extension of military courts.

The cabinet was also to be briefed on the new Hajj policy.