LHC to hear Maryam’s Petition seeking name removal from ECL

The Lahore High Court will hear the petition of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice-president Maryam Nawaz seeking removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

As per the details,  a two-judge bench headed by Justice Ali Baqar Najafi will hear the petition.

Maryam, in her petition has requested the court to declare the memorandum through which her name was placed on the ECL last year as  illegal, without lawful authority, void ab-initio and of no legal effect”, and direct the government to delete her name from the ECL.

“I have been regularly appearing in the courts and therefore, I should be granted permission to travel abroad till a final verdict on the petition.”

Until this petition is decided, the PML-N leader has requested the LHC to grant her a “one-time permission” to travel abroad for six weeks from the date of departure.

The federal government, National Accountability Bureau (NAB) chairman, Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) director-general, passport and immigration director-general and others have been nominated as respondents in the petition.

Maryam Safdar also 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 court had granted bail on November 4 to Maryam Nawaz, the daughter of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, who has been held in custody while facing trial on corruption charges. However, her name has been placed on no-fly list by the Ministry of Interior to bar her from going abroad.

It may be mentioned here that Maryam wants to go London to look after her ailing father.

Nawaz Sharif, who is also on trial for corruption, was granted bail on health grounds last month. He is now receiving treatment in London.

Maryam Nawaz was arrested by anti-corruption agents in Lahore on Aug. 8 when she was visiting her father in jail.