On Sunday, Pakistan’s new government announced that the names of several high-profile figures, including Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, had been removed from the no-fly list. Last week, the Cabinet authorized the Ministry of Interior, led by Rana Sanaullah, to review the Exit Control List (ECL), which deals with those who are not permitted to leave the country.
According to the Express Tribune, the interior ministry began issuing notifications for the removal of names from the ECL that had been on it for 120 days without a compelling reason.
Sharif was banned from leaving country
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, his wife Nusrat Shehbaz, his niece Maryam Nawaz, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, his son Abdullah Khaqan, and Finance Minister Miftah Ismail are among those who have been allowed to leave the country without restriction.
On Friday, Mr. Sanaullah claimed that names were placed on the ECL for political retaliation. The ECL blacklist has 4,863 people on it, while the Provisional National Identification List has 30,000. (PNIL). The Minister had stated, “Yes, the ECL rules have been amended, which will directly benefit 3,500 people.”
Pakistani authorities maintain a list of people who are prohibited from leaving the country for a variety of reasons, including those accused of corruption. However, governments have allegedly used these lists in the past to silence critics.