Shahbaz barred from travelling abroad

Ag agencies

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Shahbaz Sharif's name has been placed on the provisional national identification list (PNIL) or “stop list”, barring him from travelling abroad due to an ongoing case against him for owning assets beyond known sources of income.

According to sources, Shahbaz's name was placed on the stop list at the request of the interior ministry, which bars him from travelling internationally for the next 30 days. A day earlier, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had requested the interior ministry to put Shahbaz on the Exit Control List (ECL).

Shahbaz, according to some media reports, was scheduled to fly to London to be with his ailing granddaughter, who was diagnosed with a cardiac disease and operated on last week. The sources said the interior ministry has completed a summary to place Shahbaz's name on the ECL which will be sent to the federal cabinet. Moreover, the PML-N leader's name will remain on the provisional national identification list till he is placed on the ECL.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Tuesday issued notices to Shahbaz Sharif and his son Hamza Shahbaz to appear on March 4 in the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference. The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Monday filed the Ramzan Sugar Mills reference accusing Shahbaz and Hamza of causing a loss of Rs 213 million to the national exchequer.