LHC gives Pak govt a week's time to decide on Maryam's request to be removed from ECL

The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Monday directed Pakistan government to make its decision, within seven days, on Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz's (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz's request for the removal of her name from the Exit Control List (ECL).

A two-member bench, headed by Justice Ali Baqir Najfi, took up Maryam's petition which was filed by her on Saturday. After hearing the arguments, the court disposed of the petition and directed the government's review committee to decide on the matter in a week, Dawn reported.

The PML-N leader's name was placed on the no-fly list by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) led federal cabinet on National Accountability Bureau's (NAB) request on August 20, 2018.

Maryam, who is the daughter of former Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, argued in her petition that her name was placed on the ECL without her stance on the matter being heard.

"The memorandum issued on August 20, 2018, was illegal. I have been regularly appearing in the courts and therefore, I should be granted permission to travel abroad till a final verdict on the petition," Maryam argued in her petition.

She had further urged the LHC to declare the order of putting her name on the ECL as null and void and terming it illegal.

The petition further read, "I am under a lot of mental stress due to my father's illness and he also needs me. I should be granted permission to travel abroad till a final verdict on the petition.