Govt places Ahsan Iqbal’s name on ECL

The federal government has placed Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Ahsan Iqbal on the Exit Control List (ECL).

The Interior Ministry has placed PML-N leader Ahsan Iqbal’s name on no-fly list on the National Accountability Bureau’s request over the Narowal Sports City Complex case. The case is being heard by an accountability court in Islamabad.

The federal cabinet approved the decision on Friday. Iqbal, a former interior minister, is accused of causing losses worth billions to the national exchequer by initiating the sports city project in his home constituency.

According to NAB officials, the Pakistan Sports Board illegally used its authority for the construction of the sports city. 14 stadiums were meant to be constructed as part of the project, which was initiated in 2009.

In April 2018, the Rs2.9 billion project was inaugurated by the then president Mamnoon Hussain. NAB had launched an investigation into the matter the same day it was inaugurated. The bureau said it had received a complaint of embezzlement.

Iqbal had challenged the reference against him and raised reservations over what he has termed a ‘fake case’. The court dismissed his reservations and allowed NAB to continue the investigation.

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