SC dismisses NAB's plea to include Shehbaz Sharif's name in ECL

(Karachi) The Supreme Court dismissed a plea of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), seeking inclusion of opposition leader Shehbaz Sharif’s name in the exit control list (ECL), media reported on Tuesday.

The country’s top accountability watchdog had filed an appeal following the Lahore High Court’s order to remove Shehbaz’s name from the no fly list. The case was heard by top court's three-member bench, headed by Justice Mushir Alam.

During arguments, NAB prosecutor stated that Shehbaz Sharif was nominated in the case over suspicious bank transactions and he was accused of graft.

He added that Shehbaz Sharif is currently in jail.

The SC stated that the court has to look into the circumstances, when the high court issued its order. It stated that suspicious bank transactions do not come within bounds of corruption.

“The court has interpreted the anti-money laundering law in Justice Faez Isa Case”, the court observed. “NAB has failed to read Justice Faez Isa Case verdict,” Justice Muneeb remarked.

The bench observed that when the accused is in jail, why is he to be named in the exit control list. “Travel ban on Shehbaz Sharif is unnecessary when the high court issued the order”, the court stated.