Deadlock on Nawaz’s removal from ECL persists as cabinet sub-committee meeting postponed

• The cabinet's sub-committee meeting was scheduled to take place on Wednesday morning.
• PML-N spokesperson Marriyum Aurangzeb said party representatives were not asked to appear in meeting today.

The decision on removal of Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz's (PML-N) leader Nawaz Sharif from Exit Control List (ECL) still remains undecided as the Federal Cabinet's sub-committee meeting, which was scheduled to be held on Wednesday morning, was postponed.

The committee was supposed to meet today, however, both Punjab Health Secretary Momin Agha and head of medical board formed for Nawaz's health, Services Hospital Principal Dr Mahmood Ayaz said that the meeting did not take place, local media reported.

PML-N leaders Ataullah Tarar and Marriyum Aurangzeb said that the party representatives had not been asked to appear before the sub-committee meeting today.

The government on Tuesday granted conditional approval to remove Nawaz's name from the ECL. Addressing a news conference, Special Assistant to Prime Minister Imran Khan on Information and Broadcasting Firdous Ashiq Awan said that 85-90 percent participants of the federal cabinet meeting were in favour of allowing Nawaz to go abroad.

She further said that the meeting has also decided that the PML-N should be legally bound to surety bonds, indemnity bonds, security and fines imposed on him by courts. There was a consensus of all members that the permission to go abroad should be a one-time waiver and Nawaz's visit should be time-bound.

However, the PML-N rejected the government's offer and announced against submitting any surety bond in return for granting permission to the PML-N leader to go abroad.