Minister for Interior and Narcotics Control Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on Monday directed NADRA to assist maintaining a central databank of the Exit Control List (ECL) so as to streamline the system and to facilitate law-enforcing agencies and concerned individuals.
Simultaneously NADRA would extend its services and expertise towards devising an online mechanism for the registration of INGOs, the processing of their cases and regularizing the activities in the country.
These directions were passed during a meeting held in Interior Ministry here with Interior Minister in chair to review progress on the new ECL framework being worked out by the ministry.
During the meeting, the Minister observed that ECL in past was used as a tool by the previous governments to penalize or to oblige people.
He said that the persons whose names were included in the ECL continued languishing for even decades without any respite.
The minister said that the new system being put in place would not only simplify the procedure for making or deleting entries into the ECL and would ensure that justice is the cornerstone of the policy for the future.
Expressing his serious reservation over the existence of Blacklist, the Minister observed that there is no justification for having two lists i.e. ECL and Black list.
He directed Interior Ministry and the Passport Directorate officials to take immediate steps to do away with two lists and observed that there should only be one list i.e. Exit Control List.
He gave the Ministry one month to finalize its proposals after coordinating with referring departments/ministries and asking them to justify their recommendations.
He said that in future nobody will be put on ECL without proper justification and nobody will be allowed to remain on ECL for an unlimited time.
As for those whose names are already on ECL, unless the referring departments do not come up with due justification, thousands of names will be removed from ECL after a month, said the Minister.
The meeting on ECL followed another meeting with the senior officials of the Federal Investigation Authority to review progress made so far on mega corruption cases, the cases of Hawala/Hundi and the internal accountability as well as incentives for the officers of FIA.
The minister at the outset observed that for FIA to become a premier organization, there is need to introduce adequate incentives so as to attract best officers into the service.
The minister directed DG FIA to present within next two days a comprehensive proposal as to how a system of incentives can be introduced into the organization.
The meeting also reviewed progress on cases of mega corruption scandal that include among others EOBI, Hajj Scam, TDAP, New Airport, Pakistan State Oil and ETPB.
The meeting was informed that out of 109 cases, 79 have been challaned while in 30 the investigation was under process.
It was informed that 169 accused in these mega corruption cases have been arrested while 147 were on bail.
It was informed that 10 accused have been declared POs and 67 were absconders.
The minister reiterated commitment that all these mega corruption cases would be pursued to their logical conclusion and all involved would be brought to justice.
The minister also directed FIA to appoint competent legal teams in these mega corruption cases so as to ensure that there are no lacunas in the investigation and prosecution of those cases. (APP)
