The Pakistan People’s Party(PPP) Saturday formally named nine Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) federal and provincial ministers and party stalwarts and demanded that they be placed on the exit control list (ECL) as either investigations have been initiated against them or references filed for corruption.
Besides Prime Minister Imran Khan, the list contains names of federal ministers Pervez Khattak, Fehmida Mirza, Maqbool Siddiqui and Zubaida Jalal, KP Chief Minister Mehmood Khan, Senior Minister Atif Khan, Punjab Senior Minister Aleem Khan and party leader Jehangir Tareen. “More names will follow,” a letter sent to State Minister for Interior Shehryar Afridi by PPPP secretary general said.
“If names have to be placed on the ECL merely on the basis of JIT reports, the same principle will have to be applied uniformly and without any discrimination, the letter said. “The information minister announced on Dec 27 placing the names of PPP leaders including former president Asif Zardari, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, MNA Faryal Talpur and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on the exit control list. The cabinet had decided to place all the 172 persons named in a JIT report on the no-fly list,” it added.
“Significantly, the ECL decision by the cabinet was made within hours of the meeting of the central executive committee (CEC) of the PPP in Nauderao, Sindh, on the eve of 11th martyrdom anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. The CEC denounced political vendetta in the garb of accountability, demanded uniform accountability of all those being paid out of the national exchequer and also took some important decisions to respond to current political challenges,” the letter said. “Placing PPP leaders on the ECL immediately after the CEC meeting makes clear the political motivation behind the decision. The fact that many names in the list of 172 persons didn’t even contain full details also shows the hurried, knee-jerk reaction to the PPP CEC meeting,” it added.
“A new element in the ECL policy also seems to have been introduced. Under it people may be placed on ECL merely on the basis of a one-sided prosecution narrative without even a formal reference, court case and without taking into account the defence plea,” the letter said. “The PPP, therefore, expects and demands that the names of PTI leaders forwarded are also placed in the ECL,” it concluded.
Published in Daily Times, December 30th 2018.
