Chowrangi

On direction of National Accountability bureau (NAB), the names of NRO Beneficiaries are ordered to be placed on Exit Control List (ECL). Dawn News reports that arrest warrants have been issued on those who have been declared as offenders and their individual accounts have been frozen. There is a conflicting situation in the Interior Ministry at the moment which has to deal with the concerned people who have been requested to be placed on the ECL, while at the same time the Interior Minister himself benefited from the NRO by having his conviction cleared.

The names of 247 beneficiaries of National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) expect President Asif Zardari( because of the indemnity he enjoys under the Constitution) have been included in Exit Control List (ECL) in accordance with Supreme Court’s decision on NRO.

Names of a number of federal and provincial ministers including Interior Minister Rehman Malik, Federal Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar, Federal Minister for Overseas Pakistanis Farooq Sattar, Sindh ministers Agha Siraj Durrani and Zulfiqar Mirza besides Secretary General Pakistan People’s Party Jehangir Badar, Anwar Saifullah, Aftab Sherpao, leader of Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Wasim Akhter, Salman Farooqi and Usman Farooqi have been put in ECL, banning their travel outside the country.

There have been calls by politicians and civil society for the resignation of these officials from their office due to their involvement in cases of corruption. However, the concerned officials have out rightly denied the allegations presented in these revoked cases and refused to leave. Will any one of them resign and quit their offices until cleared by the courts? Only time will tell.

“Justice delayed is justice denied”.

I just hope justice prevails and none of these miscreants are able to run away and have the courage to face charges against them in courts.