Hamza Shahbaz's name placed on ECL

Published December 11, 2018
Hamza Shahbaz and his brother Salman are facing a NAB inquiry over possession of assets beyond known sources of income, and an investigation into the Ramzan Sugar Mills. ─ File photo
Hamza Shahbaz and his brother Salman are facing a NAB inquiry over possession of assets beyond known sources of income, and an investigation into the Ramzan Sugar Mills. ─ File photo

Leader of the Opposition in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shahbaz was prevented from boarding a flight to Doha on Monday night as his name has been placed on the Exit Control List (ECL), DawnNewsTV reported citing sources within the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA).

Hamza was to travel via Qatar Airways from Lahore airport when he was stopped from boarding by immigration officials, since his name had been placed on the blacklist, the FIA sources said.

The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had requested that the name of Hamza, who is facing an inquiry over possession of assets beyond known sources of income, be placed on the ECL, the sources said, adding that NAB is also conducting an investigation into the Ramzan Sugar Mills.

Hamza's name was placed on the no-fly list amid fears that he may flee abroad during the investigation in the manner of his brother Salman, who was successful in leaving the country, the FIA sources said.

In November, NAB had written to the interior ministry requesting the placement of Hamza and Salman's names on the ECL. Salman has been in London and has skipped the last three hearings in NAB.

According to NAB, the brothers ─ in their capacity as directors ─ had a bridge linking to their mills constructed in Chiniot using public funds. The Rs200 million project was approved by then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif, NAB said.

Hamza is also facing an inquiry into the Saaf Pani Company case for presiding over some meetings of the board of directors and allegedly issuing orders regarding the award of contracts. NAB claimed Hamza was not even a member of the board at the time.

PML-N spokesperson and MNA Marriyum Aurangzeb told DawnNewsTV that Hamza had not been offloaded, but rather prevented from boarding the flight at the immigration counter, where he was told that he had been placed on the no-fly list.

"He is not a terrorist, he is a responsible citizen and politician," Aurangzeb said, adding that the party should be informed under what law Hamza's name was placed on the no-fly list.

"We will raise the issue at all relevant fora," she stated. "He has consulted his lawyer and legal action will be taken soon."

Opinion

Editorial

Defining extremism
Updated 18 Mar, 2024

Defining extremism

Redefining extremism may well be the first step to clamping down on advocacy for Palestine.
Climate in focus
18 Mar, 2024

Climate in focus

IN a welcome order by the Supreme Court, the new government has been tasked with providing a report on actions taken...
Growing rabies concern
18 Mar, 2024

Growing rabies concern

DOG-BITE is an old problem in Pakistan. Amid a surfeit of public health challenges, rabies now seems poised to ...
Provincial share
Updated 17 Mar, 2024

Provincial share

PPP has aptly advised Centre to worry about improving its tax collection rather than eying provinces’ share of tax revenues.
X-communication
17 Mar, 2024

X-communication

IT has now been a month since Pakistani authorities decided that the country must be cut off from one of the...
Stateless humanity
17 Mar, 2024

Stateless humanity

THE endless hostility between India and Pakistan has reduced prisoners to mere statistics. Although the two ...