Govt using ECL for political victimisation

ISLAMABAD: Government was accused in National Assembly on Wednesday of using Exit Control List (ECL) for political victimization.

The opposition parties joined hands to register strong protest against continuous existence of name of Chairman of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the Exit Control List (ECL) in the National Assembly on Wednesday

The two former prime ministers, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and other parliamentarians raised the issue in the House on points of order accusing the PTI government of committing contempt of court by not implementing orders of the Supreme Court regarding removal of names of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah from the ECL.

They observed that such attitude of the government endangers democratic system in the country. “Names of Zulfi Bokhari and Liaquat Jatoi were taken out of the ECL within hours but Bilawal’s name is yet to be removed from the list on Supreme Court’s directives earlier this month.

The opposition members raised slogans of ‘shame, shame’ while the former Leaders of the House accused the government of political victimisation of its opponents. Earlier, speaking on a point of order, former Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi questioned whether the government was upholding democratic traditions by placing name of a politician who never remained in power. “Heavens will not fall if the government removes name of Bilawal from the ECL,” he said.

Abbasi also asked the government as to what benefit it wanted to get for not taking out name of Bilawal from the ECL. “We are with the government if it is doing any service to the democracy by placing name of Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on the ECL,” he said.

Raja Pervaiz Ashraf reminded the government there was no political personality on the ECL or in jails while the PPP was in power.

The former Prime Minister said the incumbent government had given a wrong message to the world by not implementing directives of the Supreme Court. “You removed name of Liquat Jatoi who had joined the PTI within 24 hours but name of my party’s chairman is still on the ECL,” he said adding the government wanted to tease the opposition leaders and keep them in tension.

Syed Naveed Qamar and Nawab Yousuf Talpur suggested the chair to call Attorney General in the House so that he could tell as to what was decision of the apex court.

The PPP parliamentarian said the government was reluctant to obey directives of the Chief Justice because he will be retiring tomorrow. On that the Foreign Minister said the Chief Justice would retire but his decisions would continue to get respect. “We have sought time to examine the ECL,” he said.

Shahzia Marri of PPP, whose point of order kicked off debate on the issue, regretted that judgment given on January 7 was yet to be implemented. “For how long the government will continue to commit contempt of court,” she said demanding immediate removal of name of Bilawal and Murad Ali Shah from the ECL.

Responding to concerns of Mohsin Dawar regarding custodial killing of a youth in North Waziristan, the Minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari said they wanted to put an end to the issue of missing persons.

Speaking on a point of order Mohsin Dawar said a 22-year old youth was picked up by security forces in South Waziristan under pretext he was required to be investigated. But after few days, his dead body was found.

The parliamentarian from South Waziristan said that brother of the deceased told him that he was not allowed to see the dead body. Dawar said that Rao Anwaar who was involved in killing of a youth Naqeebullah Mehsud in Karachi was also acquitted observing that killers of senior police officer Tahir Dawar should also be taken.

He also expressed concerns over the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). On that the minister for Human Rights Dr. Shireen Mazari said there should be no concession with Rao Anwaar and he should be punished. She said that report about PNIL were also a news for the government.