LAHORE - Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Hamza Shehbaz has challenged in the Lahore High Court the government’s move to put his name on the blacklist.

Hamza Shehbaz filed a petition in the LHC contending that his name and address was in blacklist to stop him from travelling to Britain. He said that he had written various letters to the Interior Ministry but no reply was received. He stated that his name had been put on the blacklist due to inquiries pending in some cases before the National Accountability Bureau (BAB). He said that he had been joining all the NAB inquiries regularly.

In December last year, Hamza had to travel via Qatar Airways from Lahore airport. However, he had been stopped from boarding by immigration officials as his name had been placed on the blacklist.

His name was placed on the Exit Control List on the request made by the NAB as he has been facing an inquiry over possession of assets beyond means. The NAB is also conducting an investigation into the Ramzan Sugar Mills case. The NAB had made the request on grounds that he might flee abroad during the investigation as his brother Salman Shehbaz had been successful in leaving the country.