Pak govt given 7 days to decide on Maryam's ECL plea

Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday sent former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam Nawazs plea seeking the removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL) to a review committee of the government.

A two-judge bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi has given the federal government seven days to decide on the matter, reports The Express Tribune.

On a miscellaneous petition seeking the temporary release of her passport for one-time permission to travel abroad for six-weeks, the bench summoned the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on December 16.

During the hearing, Maryam's counsel said the federal government violated 'Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance 1981' by not giving her an opportunity to present her stance.

Maryam's counsel filed the petition a day after the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) moved the Supreme Court against the LHC's decision to grant bail to the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills corruption case.

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-led federal cabinet Maryam's name on the no-fly list on NAB's request on August 20, 2018.

Maryam has also sought one-time permission to travel abroad for six weeks from the date of departure.

Another petition has been filed seeking release of her passport which was confiscated by the high court when it granted her bail in the Chaudhry Sugar Mills investigation.