Govt removes names of former PTI ministers from ECL

ISLAMABAD: In a significant move, the federal government has removed the names of several members of the federal cabinet of the former Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government from the Exit Control List (ECL), a mechanism used to prevent individuals from leaving the country.

Despite the removals, key political figures, including former prime minister and PTI founder Imran Khan, his spouse Bushra Bibi, Farah Gogi—a close associate of the former first lady — and Zulfi Bukhari, a senior PTI leader and ex-special assistant for overseas Pakistanis, continue to be listed on the ECL.

The current federal cabinet has approved the exclusion of certain former PTI cabinet members from the ECL, on the recommendations of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Among those whose ECL status has been cleared are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur,, former federal ministers Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Murad Saeed, Pervez Khattak and Shafqat Mahmood.

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The list of cleared individuals extends to Ejaz Shah, Ali Zaidi, Khusro Bakhtiar, Azam Swati, Asad Umar, Omar Ayub, Mehboob Sultan, and Fawad Chaudhry, Farogh Naseem and Shireen Mazari.

They had been put on the ECL/ no-fly list after the last May’s riots while some had been facing various corruption charges.

Following the interior ministry’s orders, all airports and border exits had been alerted to ensure compliance with the lifting of the no-fly restrictions.

High-profile PTI personalities such as Asad Umar and Fawad Chaudhry were among those previously barred from international travel.

Police and other law enforcement agencies had recommended these names to be put on the no-fly list, citing their involvement in the May 9 violent protests and other disturbances.

On Tuesday, Lahore police requested a month-long travel ban on over 700 PTI leaders, urging the FIA to enforce the no-fly list due to their alleged participation in destructive demonstrations.