Imran Khan 'thanks' Pakistan govt for putting him on no-fly list

Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and other leaders and former assembly members of his PTI party were reportedly barred from leaving the country on Thursday

Unfazed after being placed on the no-fly list, Pakistan's former prime minister Imran Khan on Friday thanked the government for barring him from leaving the country, saying he has no plans to travel overseas as he neither owns properties nor has any businesses abroad.

Khan, his wife Bushra Bibi and other leaders and former assembly members of his Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party were reportedly barred from leaving the country on Thursday.

Taking to Twitter, Khan wrote: "I want to thank the government for putting my name on the ECL as I have no plans to travel abroad, because I neither have any properties or businesses abroad nor even a bank account outside the country."

"If and when I do get an opportunity for a holiday, it will be in our northern mountains, my favourite place on earth," he said.

The Exit Control List (ECL) is maintained by the interior ministry and deals with individuals who are not allowed to leave the country due to pending court cases or for other reasons.

Also read | Pakistan ex-PM Imran Khan says party officials pressured to quit

Earlier, the Samaa news channel reported on Thursday that the Pakistan government had barred Khan, his wife and at least 80 people from leaving the country.

“The federal government has decided to add the names of 80 people, including PTI Chairman Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi, to the no-fly list,” the report said.

Khan, 70, and several top leaders of his party are facing cases in connection with the violence that erupted after the PTI chief's arrest on May 9 in a corruption case. On May 9, violent protests erupted after paramilitary Rangers arrested Khan from the Islamabad High Court (IHC) premises.

His party workers vandalised a dozen military installations, including the Lahore Corps Commander's House, the Mianwali airbase and the ISI building in Faisalabad in response to Khan's arrest.

The mob also stormed the Army headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi for the first time.

Police put the death toll in violent clashes to 10 while Khan's party claims 40 of its workers lost their lives in the firing by security personnel.

Thousands of Khan’s supporters were arrested following the violence that the powerful Army described as a “dark day” in the history of the country.

Several top PTI leaders were also arrested in the wake of the unrest.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif said on Sunday that those involved in attacks on military installations would be tried in the military courts while those charged with attacks on civilian targets would be prosecuted under civilian laws.

Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif said on Wednesday the government was mulling a possible ban on Khan's PTI party following the attacks by his supporters on military installations after the former prime minister's arrest.

Khan was ousted from power in April last year after losing a no-confidence vote in his leadership, which he alleged was part of a US-led conspiracy targeting him because of his independent foreign policy decisions on Russia, China and Afghanistan.