ISLAMABAD: The government has removed the names of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, former President Asif Ali Zardari, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and several others from the Exit Control List (ECL).

Sources said the names of interior minister Rana Sanullah, PML-N vice president, Zardari sister Faryal Talpur, Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, and over 100 other important personalities were removed following amendments in ECL rules.

The interior minister on April 22 announced that the government has amended rules regarding the Exit Control List (ECL) and the names of 3,000 people out of 4863 currently placed on ECL would immediately be removed from the no-fly list.

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He said a ministerial committee led by Law Minister Azam Nazir Tarar had drafted new rules on the ECL and the federal cabinet had approved them.

Under the new rules, the names placed on the ECL would be deleted automatically after the passage of 120 days if the government failed to produce any concert evidence against the person. The government could extend the duration of ECL by 90 days "if it believes of having had evidence against a person’’.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022