The meeting of the sub-committee of the federal cabinet dealing with the issue of the removal of the name of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List (ECL) in order to allow him to fly to London on medical grounds proved inconclusive on Tuesday due to a deadlock between federal government and PML-N representatives.

The sub-committee met Tuesday night under the chairmanship of Law Minister Farogh Naseem. Appearing before the committee, Deputy Secretary General Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N)Atta Tarar-led PML-N 's side representing Sharif. The government's side reportedly sought a surety bond on behalf of Sharif seeking assurances from him that the former premier would return to Pakistan after a certain time period; before the expiry of eight-week bail granted to him by Islamabad High Court (IHC) in the Al Azizia case.

The PML-N representatives declined to accept this demand which resulted in the meeting having ended in deadlock, according to sources.

The sub-committee has reserved its verdict to be announced today (Wednesday), sources said.

Earlier in the day, a meeting of the sub-committee to discuss the same matter also proved inconclusive despite having continued for over five hours, it is learnt.

Law Minister Farogh Naseem told the media that the committee would again meet at night to take a final decision regarding the removal of Sharif's name from ECL.

Although the exact amount of surety bond the government has sought from Sharif as a pre-condition to fly abroad is not known, yet Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid indicated while appearing on television channels that the amount of the surety bond is equivalent to the fine imposed on Sharif in the Al Azizia reference.

It merits mentioning here that in December last year, an accountability court sentenced Sharif to seven-year rigorous imprisonment after it found him guilty in the Al Azizia reference, one of the three graft cases filed by the NAB in line with the apex court's order.

The court also imposed a fine of $ 2.5 million and Rs 1.2 billion on Sharif in the same case.

"And consequent upon his conviction, having regard to the facts and the circumstances of the case, the convict is hereby sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for a term of 07 years along with a fine of Rs 1.2 billion and US $25 million," said the accountability court's order.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2019