A subcommittee of the federal cabinet has recommended the inclusion of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan, along with 28 others, on the Exit Control List (ECL) in connection with the ongoing Al-Qadir Trust case. The allegations suggest that the former Prime Minister and his wife, Bushra Bibi, received substantial financial gains and extensive land from Bahria Town Ltd to legitimize Rs50 billion repatriated to Pakistan by the UK during the previous PTI government.
Imran Khan faced a previous arrest earlier this year in the Al-Qadir Trust case, which led to his detention on the premises of the Islamabad High Court. However, the Supreme Court intervened, deeming the arrest unlawful and resulting in his subsequent release. The recent arrest on November 14, following his imprisonment in the cipher case, saw Imran Khan taken into custody by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) in connection with the Al-Qadir Trust case, subsequently placed on physical remand.The Ministry of Interior shared the committee’s deliberations on X (formerly Twitter), noting the attendance of interim Interior Minister Sarfraz Bugti and officials from various departments. The committee’s recommendation involved adding 41 individuals, including Imran Khan, to the ECL based on NAB’s assertion related to the £190 million scandal. Simultaneously, the committee proposed the removal of 13 cases from the ECL list. The ministry clarified that the courts sought the removal of seven names, and, upon appeals for revision, it was suggested to eliminate the names of three individuals from the ECL. These recommendations are now awaiting approval from the federal cabinet.
This development echoes earlier actions by the then-Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) government, which placed Imran Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi, and several party leaders on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) earlier this year. The decision followed widespread protests on May 9, triggered by Imran’s arrest in the Al-Qadir Trust case and other corruption charges. The evolving legal challenges underscore the complex political landscape in Pakistan, with implications for Imran Khan and the PTI.
