Islamabad: Former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan responded to being placed on the no-fly list by criticizing the leaders of the ruling coalition and stating that he has no intention of traveling overseas.
Khan, along with his wife and other leaders of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party, was reportedly barred from leaving the country. Khan expressed gratitude for being added to the Exit Control List (ECL) since he neither possesses properties nor businesses abroad. He further mentioned that if he were to go on a holiday, he would choose the northern mountains of Pakistan as his preferred destination.
The ECL is maintained by the interior ministry and is used to restrict individuals from leaving the country due to pending court cases or other reasons.
The Pakistan government added the names of 80 individuals, including Imran Khan and his wife, to the no-fly list. This decision comes as top leaders of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), such as Nawaz Sharif, face accusations of accumulating significant wealth abroad.
Sharif had previously been sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in a corruption case related to the Panama Papers scandal. During the trial, the National Accountability Bureau presented witnesses to demonstrate the alleged improper money trail used to purchase properties in London.
Imran Khan and other PTI leaders are currently facing cases related to violence that erupted following Khan’s arrest on May 9 in a corruption case. The PTI chief’s arrest led to protests, during which military installations, including the Army headquarters, were vandalized. Several individuals were killed in the clashes, and Khan’s party members were subsequently arrested.
The Defence Minister of Pakistan expressed that the government was considering a potential ban on the PTI party due to the violent actions carried out by its supporters.
