The Lahore High Court on Wednesday sought written replies from the government and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) by January 21 on a petition of Maryam Nawaz seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The court also asked the government to explain delay in deciding the representation of the petitioner. Earlier, the counsel of Maryam contended that the government on December 09 had directed to decide the matter within seven days.

However, he said, the government took more than a month to take any decision and the petitioner was informed the other day that her representation had been rejected by the federal cabinet. He said no specific reason had been furnished by the government.

A law officer informed the court that the federal cabinet decided that the petitioner will not be allowed to go abroad. He argued that petition had become anfractuous after the decision by the cabinet.

In her petition, Maryam contended that her father was allowed to go abroad on account of his critical health condition. She said her father had not regained his health so far as and was still undergoing diagnosis process.

She was in a dire need to go abroad to attend and inquire after the health of her ailing father. She sought one-time permission to travel abroad.

Earlier, the NAB had opposed the petition and return of passport to Ms Nawaz, which she had surrendered to the court when post-arrest bail granted to her in Chaudhry Sugar Mills case.