Pakistani Defence Minister barred from China visit
IRNA - Islamic Republic News Agency
Islamabad, Dec 18, IRNA -- Pakistan’s Immigration Authorities have barred the country’s Defence Minister Ahmed Mukhtar from boarding a plane to proceed to China on official visit after his travel abroad has been banned over corruption cases in courts, officials and reports.
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had put the name of Mukhtar and 247 others after the Supreme Court revived corruption cases against them.
The Defence Minister was scheduled to leave for Beijing on Thursday night on official visit along with Naval Chief to attend ceremony of the hand over to Pakistan of Chinese frigates.
The Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) had issued board cards to the minister and his wife but he was told that he can not be aboard as his name had been put on the Exit Control List (ECL), official sources said.
The interior ministry had put on the ECL the names of beneficiaries of an amnesty law known as the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) in compliance with the Supreme Court’s orders.
The NRO was introduced by former President Pervez Musharraf in 2007 under which corruption cases were withdrawn from President Asif Zardari, several ministers, political leaders and top bureaucrats.
An immigration official said the minister’s protocol staff had been informed at the airport that the defence minister would not be allowed to travel abroad, sources said.
The defence minister told reporters he had been informed by the interior secretary and his staff that he could not proceed abroad as his name had been placed on the ECL.
He said he had informed staff of President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani about the incident.
Mukhtar said it was shameful that the naval chief had been allowed to go to China, while the defence minister had been prevented from leaving for an important official visit.
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