Ahsan for not using ECL as a political tool

LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal Saturday said the Exit Control List (ECL) should not be used as a political tool since it is meant to gain specific objectives.

He was talking to the media after a conference on CPEC (China-Pakistan Economic Corridor) at a local hotel here.

He said National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Wednesday formally requested the Ministry of Interior to place names of some members of Sharif family on the ECL in view of legal proceedings in the country and added a formal decision would be made on merit .

Criticising Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan and Awami Muslim League (AML) Chairman Sheikh Rashid, he said the people had already rejected their politics.

He said the world had disapproved the disqualification of former prime minister Nawaz Sharif.

Ahsan Iqbal said it seemed that the West wanted to pressurize Pakistan to achieve certain objectives, so it is pushing to place the country on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) watch-list.

Ahsan Iqbal expressed the concern that such pressure tactics would negatively impact Pakistan's efforts in the war against terrorism.

Highlighting the role and sacrifices rendered by Pakistan in the fight against terrorism, he said any move to place Pakistan in the "grey list" will be counterproductive and undermine the extensive work that Pakistan had carried out under the National Action Plan to eliminate terrorism.

He said Pakistan is working with the US, UK, Germany and France for the nomination to be withdrawn.