Govt in a fix over removing Nawaz Sharif's name from ECL

ISLAMABAD: The federal government finds itself in “to be or not to be” situation over the issue of removing former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) or not.

“We have not decided yet either to grant one time permission to Nawaz Sharif or put this matter before the federal cabinet,” a cabinet member told this correspondent on Sunday. Federal cabinet to be headed by Premier Imran Khan on Tuesday (tomorrow) would take up the issue, added the cabinet member. After receiving input from the medical board and NAB, the federalgovernment, officials of the Ministry of Interior, are taking up this matter again today, a senior minister revealed.

Official sources claimed that the NAB would recommend the Ministry of Interior to put his request of removing name before the court. The medical board that was overseeing the treatment of Nawaz Sharif has refused to provide the government any further opinion on his health, they added. The government was given a report on Nawaz' health by the hospital when the former prime minister left the hospital hence it wasn't possible to provide an opinion on his health.

Family sources told this scribe, “My [one of family members] worst fear is that he [Nawaz] has been administered some toxic substance and there is what you call malice aforethought.”

About booking confirmation and other arrangements one of family members revealed that “there are several such bookings and confirm bookings in different airlines one of them I think has got leaked. There were bookings for Sunday as well. As I told you that there are two important factors firstly government to permit him to travel and secondly doctors’ consent. It seems that the doctors have more or less agreed his travel. However there is intentional delay with respect to ECL.”

On doctors and other medical facilities being arranged for former premier, the family member added, “The UK doctors are there to treat any patient who comes to them. Yes, we have been in touch continuously with his [Nawaz] doctors. Of course, they would treat him if he goes there. And depending on the two factors that I mentioned he [Nawaz] can travel and in so far as we’re concerned frankly we are looking forward for him to travel and address his health issues which have become very serious now.”

PML-N Spokesperson Marryium Aurangzeb said that doctors had given the former prime minister a heavy dose of steroids to prepare him for his travel abroad. "Nawaz Sharif's treatment abroad is being delayed by the delay in taking his name off the ECL," she said. "Doctors have said that he cannot be given heavy doses of steroids time and again."

Mrs Aurangzeb said that it will become almost impossible to shift Nawaz overseas for treatment in case of a medical emergency. "Doctors have said that Nawaz Sharif needs to be shifted abroad at once," she said. Delay in his travel will increase dangers to his health, she added.