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

The federal cabinet on Friday gave approval to place four names — including that of Punjab Assembly Opposition Leader Hamza Shehbaz — 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 Shehbaz — 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.

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 Shehbaz Sharif.

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.

Meanwhile, Aftab is being investigated for alleged embezzlement of Rs 26 billion in PSM funds.