ISLAMABAD: A cabinet committee has decided to impose a travel ban on former federal minister for ports and shipping Kamran Michael and human rights activist from the Hazara community Jalila Haider.

According to the interior ministry, the committee met on Friday and removed the names of two prominent personalities from the Exit Control List (ECL): former National Database and Registration Authority (Nadra) chairman Tariq Malik and Imtiaz Ahmed Sheikh, energy minister in the Sindh government.

The body deferred the cases of four persons, including Sindh minister Anwar Sial, Executive Director of the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) Abid Hussain, ex-Sindh industries secretary Zameer Ahmed and two managing directors of the Oil and Gas Development Company Limited (OGDCL), Zahid Mir and Rauf Kajak.

The cabinet committee on ECL was formed to decide the cases recommended by different departments. Most of the persons in the list discussed by the committee are facing alleged corruption cases of the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

KAMRAN MICHAEL: On Feb 9, NAB arrested the former federal minister for ports and shipping, for allegedly misusing his authority as a minister and usurping over Rs1 billion.

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz leader has been accused of getting illegally transferred of three commercial and flat site plots at prime locations of the KPT Cooperative Housing Society in Karachi’s Mai Kolachi area that was allotted in the name of people from whom he allegedly received a bribe.

The former federal minister allegedly misused his authority for influencing some officials to get these plots allotted in the name of his favourite people in 2013, the spokesperson said. The value of these three plots is about Rs1.05bn.

A corruption reference with respect to 16 such plots was already filed by the Karachi NAB, in which evidence against Mr Michael for receiving bribe was unearthed during the investigation.

Mr Micheal remained minister for ports and shipping from 2013 to 2016. He has also held other portfolios in the federal cabinet during different tenures.

JALILA HAIDER: Ms Haider is a human rights attorney and founder of We The Humans – a non-profit organisation which works to lift local communities by strengthening opportunities for vulnerable women and children.

She specialises in defending women’s rights and provides free counselling and legal services to poverty-affected women. She is also a leading activist of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement. The reason behind her travel ban could not be ascertained.

TARIQ MALIK: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Feb 1 ordered that the name of former Nadra chairman Tariq Malik be removed from the ECL.

His name was placed on the ECL after his return to Pakistan last December. Later, he challenged the government decision in the IHC seeking removal of his name from the list.

Mr Malik is facing a case of concealment of his dual nationality during his tenure at Nadra. His services were terminated by the previous PML-N government. However, his job was restored by a high court.

SOHAIL ANWAR SIAL: NAB has launched an inquiry against Sindh agriculture minister Sohail Anwar Sial on a charge of misappropriation of funds earmarked for the uplift of Larkana.

ABDUL RAUF SIDDIQUI: He is facing NAB cases regarding Baldia Town fire incident and illegal appointments.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019