Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz extended assistance to Maleeka Bokhari, a former leader of the rival Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf party, in obtaining official clearance to travel abroad and visit her critically ill sister.
Thank you for your timely intervention. I have been informed that my name has been removed from the no fly list. https://t.co/QfR9H8CFzd
— Maleeka Ali Bokhari (@MalBokhari) March 16, 2024
Maryam responded to Maleeka’s plea on a social media platform, urging Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for the removal of her name from the exit control list (ECL) to facilitate her trip to Australia to see her ailing sister. Maleeka expressed gratitude for the timely intervention, announcing that her name had indeed been removed from the no-fly list.
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In May 2023, following violent riots triggered by the arrest of PTI’s founder, numerous party leaders and former assembly members were placed on the ECL pending investigation. The restriction on foreign travel was imposed to probe their alleged involvement in the unrest, which resulted in significant damage to public and private property, including military assets.
Responding to Maleeka’s appeal, Maryam assured her assistance through her own social media platform, promising to engage with the relevant authorities. Maleeka’s subsequent acknowledgment of Maryam’s support confirmed the successful removal of her name from the travel restriction list.
Maleeka’s plea emphasized her constitutional right to freedom of movement as a Pakistani citizen and the urgency of her sister’s critical condition, appealing to the authorities for a one-time permission to be by her side.
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