ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court on Thursday directed the interior ministry to remove the name of former federal minister Dr Shireen Mazari from the Exit Control List (ECL).

Ms Mazari’s name was placed on the ECL because she was among those members of the PTI-led federal cabinet that had approved the confidential agreement that allowed transfer of GBP190 million to real estate tycoon Malik Riaz.

Mr Riaz allegedly laundered this money to the UK for the purchase of a house, but the amount was detected by the National Crimes Agency (NCA) and it was later sent back to Pakistan.

Special Prosecutor of the National Accounta­bility Bureau (NAB) informed the IHC that Ms Mazari was not required on the no-fly list as she was not among the accused persons.

The assistant attorney general told the court that a letter had been written to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on March 27 in this regard.

After hearing the arguments, Justice Saman Rafat Imtiaz ordered the ministry to remove Ms Mazari’s name from the ECL.

Azam Swati gets interim bail

A special judge central granted pre-arrest interim bail to PTI leader Azam Khan Swati in a case related to controversial tweets against state institutions.

Mr Swati was an absconder in the case. He appeared before the court along with his lawyer Ali Bukhari. The court granted Mr Swati interim bail till April 20.

The Anti-Terrorism Court of Islamabad also granted bail to Mr Swati in a case registered against him in connection with violent protest outside the Fed­eral Courts Complex in March last year.

Published in Dawn, April 5th, 2024