The former prime minister Yousaf Raza Gillani has flied out of Pakistan to attend an international conference in Cambodia, in spite of his name being listed on the country's exit-control list (ECL).

Sources close to Gillani confirmed that he had left the country on Monday to attend the Asia-Pacific Cambodia Conference, one for which Gillani had received an exclusive invitation from the current Cambodian prime minister, Hun Sen.

A corruption case against him surrounding allegations of fraudulent trade subsidies worth billions of rupees moved the government to take action against him, placing him on the ECL. Legal proceedings against Gillani are still ongoing.

The lack of attention Gillani's departure received surprised many, as the government had given the impression that being on the ECL was damning enough to forbid all international travel. Especially in Nawaz Sharif's case, it appeared that the ECL was a listing difficult to bypass.

Gillani, who is still a politician affiliated with the Pakistan's People Party, was granted permission from the interior ministry to leave. The ministry gave Gillani permission to travel overseas for a period of 15 days.