PML-N wants Shahzad Akbar’s name put on ECL

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 06 Jan 2023

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz or PML-N has submitted a resolution in the Punjab Assembly demanding PTI leader Shahzad Akbar’s name be placed on the Exit Control List.

The move comes a day after Akbar resigned as PM’s advisor on accountability and interior.

The resolution was submitted by PML-N’s Sadia Taimoor. It stated that Shahzad Akbar used the tag of accountability as a means to “take revenge”.

He was accused of receiving a large amount of money in a broadsheet scandal, it claimed, adding that the cases filed by Akbar against opposition leaders have proved to be a “bundle of lies”.

On Monday, Shahzad Akbar resigned as Prime Minister Imran Khan’s advisor on accountability. Reports revealed the premier was unhappy with what was described as a slow pace of trials in mega corruption cases. He conveyed that he was annoyed at the advisor.

In July 2020, Akbar had claimed that over Rs700 billion from Pakistan were laundered to off-shore banks. He vowed to recover this amount. The PTI leader was also a key member in the Panama Papers case during which former PM Nawaz Sharif was convicted. He had been tasked to ensure the PML-N founder returned to Pakistan, which hasn’t happened yet.

At a press conference on Monday, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry said that Akbar’s resignation will not have any effect on the corruption cases that are in court.

He congratulated the former advisor and added that he would continue to work as a core PTI member.