Conditional permission not acceptable, govt will turn this into NRO: Nawaz

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) chief Nawaz Sharif on Thursday rejected the government's conditions to allow him permission to fly abroad, sources told Geo News.

This was revealed by PML-N President Shehbaz Sharif who presided over a meeting of the party. Shehbaz said that he had informed Nawaz about the government's conditional permission which would allow him to abroad for medical treatment.

READ MORE: PML-N moves court over Nawaz’s removal from ECL

"He [Nawaz] said it categorically that this condition was not acceptable," he said. "He said that the government would later use it against him by turning it into an NRO."

Shehbaz said that Nawaz was of the view that the government would make the surety bond a basis to malign his character.

Sources further told Geo News that the former prime minister had decided to move the court against the government after he held consultations with party leaders. 

Shehbaz, as per sources, had not supported the idea to deposit surety bonds to the government. 

Govt pins travel ban removal on Rs7bn surety bond

After a meeting of the federal cabinet's subcommittee, Law Minister Farogh Naseem announced that Nawaz would be allowed to fly abroad as the government would grant him a 'one-time permission' provided he deposited surety bonds worth Rs7-7.5 billion. 

The meeting was presided over by Naseem to decide the removal of Nawaz Sharif’s name from the Exit Control List (ECL) on basis of his medical condition.

Speaking to reporters here in Islamabad, Naseem said, "Keeping in mind his adverse critical medical condition, Nawaz Sharif will be given four-week long, one-time permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

"This permission will be subject to Nawaz Sharif or Shehbaz Sharif submitting an indemnity bond to the tune of roughly Rs7-7.5 billion to the satisfaction of additional secretary to the Ministry of Interior," he added.