Names of Shahid Khaqan, Miftah Ismail put on ECL

ISLAMABAD: The Interior Ministry on Friday placed the names of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leaders Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail on the Exit Control List (ECL). According to the Interior Ministry, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and Miftah Ismail’s names were placed on the no-fly list on the recommendations of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Imranul Haq, Uzma Adil Khan, Mubeen Saulat, Shahid Islamuddin and Amir Naseem’s names were also placed on the ECL. Former PM Abbasi is accused of illegally awarding a 15-year contract for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal when he was petroleum minister in former prime minister Nawaz Sharif's cabinet. The case was closed by the NAB in 2016, but was reopened in 2018.

Former finance minister Miftah Ismail is also under investigation in connection with the LNG corruption case.

The federal cabinet reportedly gave a go-ahead to place Abbasi, along with others, on the ECL in a meeting earlier this month.