The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on (Wednesday) accepted a petition filed by Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Overseas Pakistanis Zulfi Bukhari for the removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL).
A division bench of the IHC comprising Justice Aamir Farooq and Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kayani announced the verdict on Bukhari's petition seeking the removal of his name from ECL.
On December 4, the IHC had reserved its verdict on Bukhari's petition.
The Interior Ministry had placed Bukhari's name on the ECL in August following the National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) request after he was accused of owning offshore companies. NAB had initiated an inquiry against Bukhari after his name appeared in the Panama Papers as he owns six offshore companies.
Bukhari, a close aide of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, was barred from leaving Pakistan when he proceeded to travel to Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah on June 11. Bukhari was later granted a one-time permission to go abroad for six days by the Interior Ministry.
A petition is also being heard seeking Bukhari’s disqualification for being a dual national.
Earlier this month, Imran Shafique, special prosecutor with NAB Rawalpindi tendered his resignation. Sources informed Geo News that taking a tough stance in the Islamabad High Court over the dual nationality of Bukhari cost Shafique his job.
They said the special prosecutor was summoned to the NAB headquarters after the hearing and asked to resign. Sources further informed Geo News that Shafique was told if he didn’t resign, he would be dismissed.
