‘Nawaz Sharif being allowed to go abroad; no plan to crack down on Azadi March protesters’

ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Brigadier (retd) Ijaz Ahmed Shah has said former prime minister Nawaz Sharif was being allowed to go abroad for medical treatment on humanitarian grounds.
Talking to a local news channel, he rejected the impression that there was any deal or National Reconciliation Ordinance in Nawaz Sharif case.
Ijaz Ahmed Shah said since the day one, Prime Minister Imran Khan had directed the Punjab government to provide best medial facilities to Nawaz Sharif.
To a question, he said name of a person was placed on the Exit Control List on the recommendations of various institutions and it was the federal cabinet’s discretion to put or withdraw any name from it.
“Former president Asif Ali Zardari can also be facilitated as per suggestions of the medical board,” he said.
Also Read: Decision about removal of Nawaz ‘s name from ECL rests with federal cabinet: Farogh
To a question regarding Azadi March of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), the minister said the government had no plan to take action against the marchers.
On Nov 12, Federal Cabinet’s sub-committee had reserved its decision regarding the removal of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif from the Exit Control List.
Talking to private television channels, the head of the sub-committee, Minister for Law Farogh Naseem, had said final decision regarding removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the ECL rested with the federal cabinet.
He had however assured that the decision would be taken purely on merit.
The sub-committee held various sessions on Tuesday to draw up recommendations on the matter.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Tuesday said that it had no objection on former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s going for treatment abroad on humanitarian basis, local media quoted sources as saying.