Federal cabinet approves request to place Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Hamza Shahbaz's names on ECL

E-Paper | October 01, 2026

Federal cabinet approves request to place Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Hamza Shahbaz's names on ECL

Sanaullah Khan Inamullah Khattak Published April 6, 2019

Punjab MPAs Hamza Shahbaz, Salman Shahbaz, former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and former PSM chairman Moeen Aftab have been barred from travelling abroad. — AP/File

comments

Join our Whatsapp Channel

Add Dawn as a trusted source

The federal cabinet on Friday gave approval to place four names — including that of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shahbaz — on the Exit Control List.

According to sources in the federal government, the names of former prime minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Punjab Assembly MPA Salman Shahbaz — who is currently out of the country — and former chairman of Pakistan Steel Mills (PSM) Moeen Aftab have also been placed on the ECL after the federal cabinet approved of the move through circulation.

All four names have been placed on the ECL on the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) request, the source said.

Meanwhile, the name of former finance minister Miftah Ismail has been placed on the 'stop list' while the approval for his name to be placed on the ECL is awaited, interior ministry officials told DawnNewsTV.

According to interior ministry officials, Ismail was scheduled to fly to London from Karachi today. The relevant authorities informed the former finance minister regarding the development.

NAB is probing Hamza for allegedly owning assets beyond means. He, along with his brother Salman, is also accused of using Rs200 million from public funds to build a bridge linking to the family's sugar mills. The money was approved by then chief minister Shahbaz Sharif.

A NAB team had arrived in Model Town earlier today to arrest Hamza, but returned after the Lahore High Court issued an order barring the watchdog from taking the PML-N leader in custody.

Abbasi is accused of awarding a 15-year contract for a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal against the rules when he was the petroleum minister in former premier Nawaz Sharif's cabinet. The case was closed by NAB in 2016 but was reopened in 2018.

Aftab is being investigated for alleged embezzlement of Rs 26 billion in PSM funds and Ismail is being probed in connection with the LNG corruption case.

NAB has also requested the government to place the name of the Secretary of the Sindh government's land utilisation department, Aftab Ahmed Memon, on the no-fly list. Memon is named in the fake accounts case.

Pakistan

65,000 names taken off ECL, passport blacklist

Misuse of ECL

Senate body asks interior ministry to end ambiguity about procedure of adding names to ECL

Parvez

Apr 06, 2019 03:16pm

Khaqan Abbassi must be held accountable for helping Mr.Dar flee the country ..... a man who destroyed the economy and now an absconder from the law living in comfort in London. How long will Pakistan have to suffer such indignities ?

Recommend 0

bhaRAT©

Apr 06, 2019 03:25pm

Good step. Don't let them get away. Both sons of NA, Salman Shabaz and Dar of this family are absconders!

Recommend 0

Omer

Apr 06, 2019 03:56pm

All noise to divert attention from economic crisis and inflation!!

Recommend 0

Dr. Salaria, Aamir Ahmad

Apr 06, 2019 04:14pm

An attempt in futility since both these guys are highly unlikely to repatriate to a foreign country and live there for good.

Recommend 0

Adil108

Apr 06, 2019 04:30pm

They have to pay and returned all the looted wealth of the country. Someone please tell them not to so arrogant.

Recommend 0

Ahsan Gul

Apr 06, 2019 04:47pm

These people like Shrief family members, Zardari family and their close corrupt friends have stolen in billions. They are behind the foreign exchange disturbances right now. Ex PM Abbasi is a corrupt to the teeth. He facilated DAR's exit from Pakistan Put them under surveillance and prosecute.

Recommend 0

Kamal Khan

Apr 06, 2019 04:48pm

It would have meant a lot if the economy was stable. Now it more like irrelevant and political victimization.

Recommend 0

Ahmad

Apr 06, 2019 04:51pm

This current government will keep busy its followers by doing such stunts for next 5 yrs

Recommend 0

Imtiaz Syed New York

Apr 06, 2019 04:55pm

PLACING NAMES ON ECL: I am shocked that cabinet has to be convened to place name of an individual on ECL. It is in retail business now. The cabinet job is to define and develop a policy and procedure as to when a person could be forbidden to leave the country. Government needs to learn how to rule.

Recommend 0

WARRIs

Apr 06, 2019 05:10pm

Indeed, Sharifs are the infamous family full of absconders.. who looted the wealth of their own mother nation and build family fortunes in the Middle East and the West.. they must not be allowed to escape this time!!

Recommend 0

Comments

Apr 06, 2019 05:25pm

Let me understand this - allow them to leave the country first, then put them on the ECL list.

Recommend 0

Jameel

Apr 06, 2019 05:44pm

@Omer, and IK is trying his best to bring justice to the people who helped in creating economic crisis and inflation in PK

Recommend 0

Apr 06, 2019 05:58pm

@Ahmad, you’re right. I can’t believe it, people are so gullible and including the ones overseas are also buying this story. There may be some corruption but it’s less than 0.5% of the total debts of Pakistan so I’m not sure why they would create such disruptive practices

Recommend 0

Ahsan Gul

Apr 06, 2019 06:14pm

One doesn't have to be in parliament to advise the country based on his experience and of his history knowledge: Convicted Felon Nawaz Shrief, his close family relatives and friends Abbasi, DAR etc Zardari, his close family and friends ARE NOT SIncere and PAKISTAN lover people. They all have properties in England, Dubai USA and waiting to fly away. Actually, they are the white collar terrorists and are Totally ANTI Pakistan. These people are creating chaos and shortage of foreign exchange to DESTABILIZE Current Government. SEARCH their homes and Properties for large Amounts Of $$$$ and Foreign Exchange. SIncere Dawn do print these comments. Thanks

Recommend 0

M H

Apr 06, 2019 07:52pm

Is it cabinet's job to put people on ECL? There are serious issues that need attention. Don't they have anything else to do?

Recommend 0

Aamir Latif

Apr 06, 2019 09:09pm

Attention diverters for the government own economic failures. Pti walas have nothing but talk and scape goat their own failures with flimsy accusations.. Why government need tk do this, have they run away in the last 8-9 months... They are facing all charges, let them go through the legal process. This ECL is nothing but tactics by government to pressurize.... Shame on pti government

Recommend 0

Meer

Apr 06, 2019 09:31pm

@Omer, Indeed. Mr General Manager failed to deliver. He ruined our economy and currently, our economic policy is in catch 22 situation due to this THE GENERAL MANAGER.

Recommend 0

Omair

Apr 06, 2019 09:56pm

@Omer so lets say its noise for economic crisis but these goons were in power when it all happened. They will be held accountable no matter what. An educated person wont blame a single thing on current Govt.

Recommend 0

Miraaj

Apr 06, 2019 10:06pm

We all thought that first asad umer name will be puy in ECL for causing multi billion dollars loos to Pakistan owing to incompetence and than IK anf khattak woulf be arrested for causing more than 75 billion loss only in BRT Peshawar.

Recommend 0

Maz-Zak

Apr 06, 2019 10:54pm

" The case was closed by NAB in 2016 but was reopened in 2018." The jokers are hell behind NS and his family.

Recommend 0

Maz-Zak

Apr 06, 2019 11:19pm

@Adil108 , "They have to pay and returned all the looted wealth of the country. Someone please tell them not to so arrogant." What wealth are you talking about ??. Since past 40 years Pakistan survived on IMF bailouts and US aid. Pakistan never had money and was always seeking aids, alms and loans from everyone

Recommend 0

Feroz

Apr 07, 2019 01:06am

This kind of political vendetta is no good for any democracy because important legislation needed for the countries progress will be stalled due to misplaced priorities of the government.

Recommend 0

Aamir

Apr 07, 2019 02:46am

Political victimization is at peak!

Recommend 0

jangijunoon

Apr 07, 2019 04:09am

Putting names on ECL of previous PM brings down the respect of the office no other country does it

Recommend 0

The lost soul

Apr 07, 2019 06:40am

What drama is this. It’s like a reservation / booking for a event. ShahbaZ just got on and off , next these people will too. What’s the purpose of placing people on these lists of no action or outcome is possible or likely ?

Recommend 0

ahmed

Apr 07, 2019 08:01pm

@Imtiaz Syed New York, Imtiaz, what's Trumpt doing in the USA if not micromanaging?

Recommend 0

Khan

Apr 08, 2019 05:08am

Waisting cabinet time in critical economic conditions.

Recommend 0

Branded Content

28 years of McDonald’s Pakistan: celebrating the local partners behind the Golden Arches

The milestone highlighted the structural evolution of the company's local procurement model.

Etihad Town Sialkot delivers Possession ahead of time

The project was delivered within just 1.5 years against a 3-year payment plan, while commercial possession had already been handed over to customers in January 2026.