Islamabad (Staff Report/Agencies): The federal cabinet on Thursday deferred its decision to remove Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah's names from the Exit Control List (ECL).
The cabinet meeting held under the chair of Prime Minister Imran Khan discussed a 26-point agenda. The meeting decided to defer its decision on removing Bilawal, Murad and other suspects’ names from the no-fly list.
According to sources, the cabinet members agreed to wait for a written order from the apex court before making any decision on whether to allow or bar the suspects from flying abroad.
On Monday, the SC ordered that Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Murad Ali Shah's names be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) and JIT, the long-running mega money laundering and fake bank accounts case, report.
While hearing the mega money laundering and fake bank accounts case, a three-judge bench headed by the chief justice and comprising Justice Ijazul Ahsan and Justice Faisal Arab, also directed the joint investigation team to remove Bilawal and Shah’s name from its report in the case.
CJP Nisar questioned who added Bilawal and Shah’s name in the report.
“On whose dictation, have Bilawal and CM Sindh been implicated in this scam. Where is their role,” he said adding that the names were added for political point scoring.
How can Bilawal be implicated in the case as he is just the director of the company? He is innocent and clean. He is carrying forward the legacy of his mother” the CJP remarked.
The irked chief justice further added questioned whether the JIT was formed to demean people.
The court also referred the JIT report to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to initiate a fresh inquiry into the case.
The apex court ordered NAB to investigate the case in light of JIT report, and to complete its investigation within two months.
"NAB can probe Bilawal and CM Shah independently. If after the investigation a reference can be formed, then it should be filed,” Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar observed.
The bench further asked the accountability bureau to summon whoever it wishes, and instructed the JIT to continue its own probe in the meantime.
