Govt given a week to decide on Maryam’s request to fly abroad

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday, while disposing of PML-N leader Maryam Nawaz’s petition seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL), directed the federal government’s review committee to decide on the matter within seven days. A two-member bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi, took up the PML-N vice president’s petition seeking the removal of her name from the ECL and directed the review committee to issue its decision as per the law. During the proceedings, Maryam’s lawyer Azam Nazir Tarar said that the court should change her petition’s status to “pending” and direct the government to decide on the review application. However, the court said they didn’t want to increase the pressure on the government by doing so and disposed of the petition, directing the government to decide on the review application. On Saturday, Maryam filed a petition in the LHC seeking the removal of her name from the ECL. Maryam is currently on bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills (CSM) case, in which she is a suspect, but her name remains on the no-fly list. Her father, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, travelled to London last month after the government and courts granted him permission to fly abroad on medical grounds. During the proceedings on Monday, Maryam’s lawyer said that through allegations of corruption and corrupt practices, his client’s name was placed on the ECL. He said that without hearing her stance, Maryam’s name was placed on the ECL. According to Advocate Amjad Pervaiz, the federal government had opposed the ECL Ordinance. Justice Najafi said that under Section 3 of the ECL Ordinance, they could file a review application before the federal government. Maryam’s lawyer said they had not submitted any application with the government to remove her name from the ECL, adding that there was no better forum than the court to address the matter. He said that the government ministers were constantly saying they wouldn’t let Maryam go abroad, adding that the government itself didn’t want her to go abroad. Justice Najafi said they should submit a request with the federal government so that they could decide on the matter, adding that the court wanted institutions to do their specific work. Advocate Pervaiz said Maryam’s father was not well and she wanted to go to him. “How can Maryam give a request to the government; they themselves are sitting ready to take steps against her,” he remarked. Meanwhile, the LHC issued a notice to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Maryam’s request for the release of her passport. Earlier, Maryam had filed a miscellaneous application seeking the release of her passport. The LHC, while granting her bail last month, had directed the PML-N vice president to surrender her passport to secure her release. The petition requesting the removal of Maryam’s name from the ECL had listed the federal government, Federal Investigation Agency, and chairman and director general of NAB as respondents. In her petition, Maryam had argued that her name was placed on the ECL without notice and providing her with an opportunity of hearing through a memorandum dated August 20, 2018. Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Information and Broadcasting Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan on Monday said that in the presence of attendants in London, it was strange that Maryam Nawaz had approached the court seeking permission for going abroad to look after her ailing father, Nawaz Sharif. Nawaz’s brother, two absconding sons, one daughter and her father-in-law, grandchildren and a nephew, who was related to the TT (telegraphic transfer) mafia, were already in England to look after him, she said in posts on her Twitter handle. She said Prime Minister Imran Khan was determined to ensure equal implementation of law for all. His government was legitimate for the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leaders as long as it was in their favour, but for doing politics, they termed it ‘bogus’, she added. The SAPM said going abroad of a convicted person to look after some ailing person was against the law of the land. Keeping in view such favourable treatment being meted out to the Sharifs, other prisoners in Pakistani jails felt as to why they were being discriminated against, she added.