Senate opposition leader Yousuf Raza Gillani has been stopped from travelling abroad for an international conference, earlier on Wednesday.
Former Prime Minister Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani was barred at Islamabad Airport from traveling to Italy to attend the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in ROME on 8th to 9 October, 2021. Mr Gilani was nominated as leader of a parliamentary delegation for the international parliamentary moot by Chairman of the Senate.
According to the Gillani’s son, Qasim Gillani, the former PM’s staff was informed at the airport’s immigration counter that his name was on the exit control list (ECL).
As per the sources, Interior Ministry stated that Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani’s name was placed on ECL in 2013 on the recommendation of NAB in appointment of Tauqeer Sadiq as Chairman OGRA.
According to Interior Ministry, Yousaf Raza Gilani was granted a ‘One Time Permission’ to travel abroad which he availed in 2020.
It is pertinent to note that this is not the first time that the former PM has been stopped from exiting the country. In Feb 2019, Gillani was stopped from leaving the country at the Lahore airport after his name was found to be on a no-fly list.
Former MNA Syed Ali Musa Gillani took to Twitter to state that the government had stopped
the PPP leader from proceeding to Italy on the invitation of the Italian government to represent the country during a climate summit.
“In the age of innocent until proven guilty and in a self-proclaimed democracy, the leader of the opposition is not allowed to represent Pakistan and lead the delegation of parliamentarians at an international conference. Such is the democracy we live in!”, he stated.
He added that tools like the ECL only make “the tyrants of today look weak and deprive Pakistan of badly needed statesmanship at the international arena.”
It merits mention that Gilani was scheduled to meet high-level dignitaries in Italy including his counterpart and Mayor of Rome. Mr. Yousaf Raza Gilani while talking to media informed that he had been traveling abroad after the 2013 restriction. The countries visited by Mr Gilani after 2013 include UAE, UK, Afghanistan, Nigeria, France, Norway, Nepal, Cambodia and South Korea.
As per sources, PPP opines that Gillani was stopped at the airport as the federal government did not want the former PM to overshadow the current PM Imran Khan who was given a snub by US President Joe Biden by not inviting him at the World leaders virtual conference on climate change.
The party further believes that the Ministry of interior stooped too low by barring Mr Gilani from traveling abroad on pretext that he was on no fly list despite the fact that Mr Gilani has traveled abroad 17 times since year 2013.
PPP Senator Sherry Rehman has stated on the matter that “Convicted criminals are allowed to leave the country, but there are restrictions on PPP leaders,” she said, adding that he wanted to represent the country in front of lawmakers around the world but was stopped.
She also criticised the “two systems” in the country. “If one former prime minister is allowed to leave the country despite his name being on the ECL then why can’t another?” she questioned.
This last-minute cancellation of program has raised many questions as Gilani has not been convicted on that case as seven years have passed since the case was filed.
