LAHORE: The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has placed the names of the mother and brother of Ayesha Ahad Malik, the self-proclaimed wife of Hamza Shahbaz, on the Exit Control List (ECL) on charges of cheating the public at large.

The NAB has launched the inquiry against the Ahad family on charges of defaulting on payment to the buyers of shops and flats in Ahad Plaza.

"We have launched the inquiry on a number of complaints received against the Ahad family with regard to cheating public at large and placed the names of Yousuf Ahad Malik and Rifat Malik on the ECL," NAB Punjab spokesman Attiqur Rehman told Dawn on Friday.

Aysha Ahad alleged NAB was harassing her and her family on the direction of the government. She said she was in London in connection with her daughter's treatment but NAB was forcing her to appear before it in Lahore. She said the government was trying to implicate her ailing mother too in cases.

"My family wants to complete this project (Ahad Plaza) but the PML-N government is creating hurdles to the project," she said.

The NAB spokesman denied that the bureau was under pressure from anyone, claiming it was conducting the inquiry on merit.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2014