Govt put Bilawal, Murad’s names on ECL in haste, says Qureshi

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Foreign Affairs Shah Mehmood Qureshi said that 172 names including PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah were placed on Exit Control List (ECL) in haste by the government. Replying to a point of order, Shah Mehmood Qureshi said, “Names of 172 people should not have placed on ECL at a time in a haste.” He said that the 172 names were included in the ECL in a haste and decision to reconsider the list should also not been taken that way. He said that the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) had not ordered removal of name of top PPP leader from the ECL. Minister for Human Rights Dr Shireen Mazari while responding to another point of order, said the Federal Cabinet would take up issue of ECL in its meeting on Thursday (today). Shah Mehmood Qureshi, however, insisted that the Supreme Court never directed for removal of name of Bilawal Bhutto from ECL rather it ordered the government for consideration.

He told the House that decision to remove name of PPP leaders from ECL would be taken on receiving detailed judgment of the decision in written form. “The issue was also taken at meeting of the Federal Cabinet and it was decided that the ECL could not examined till the detailed written judgment is received from the Supreme Court,” he said.

The minister also sought cooperation from the opposition parties in smooth functioning of the House. “Democratic process will be in danger if the opposition tries to dysfunctional the National Assembly,” he said adding such way out should be found which was acceptable to all.

He said all political parties would suffer if democratic norms and traditions were not upheld. He told the opposition as to what had been happening in the past but the minister observed now there was need to move forward for a better future.