*LAHORE: Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal has revealed that his ministry haschanged the procedure of placing names on the Exit Control List. *

*He said the names sent to his ministry for inclusion on the Exit ControlList (ECL) have been forwarded to the federal cabinet for approval.*

Speaking to the media, he said the ministry has been deciding cases withregard to the placement of names on the no-fly list in line with the apexcourt’s judgment in this regard.

To a query about General Pervez Musharraf’s return, the minister asked ifformer premier Nawaz Sharif could appear before courts, why can’t he?

He assured that the former military ruler shouldn’t worry about hissecurity as he would be provided complete protection upon his return.Hopefully, he added, Musharraf will come back and face courts.

On February 14, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) wrote a letter tothe interior ministry seeking to place former prime minister Nawaz Sharif,his daughter Maryam Nawaz and son-in-law Captain (retd) Muhammad Safdar onthe ECL.

On Friday, the matter about inclusion of their names on the ECL was raisedon the floor of the National Assembly.

Responding to a question, former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khansaid when he was the interior minister, specific criteria was laid down toplace names on the ECL.

At present, he said, names were being placed on the no-fly list on therecommendations of courts, defence institutions and intelligence agenciesas per the law.