The Exit Control Lists (ECL; Urdu: ای سی ایل) is a system of border control maintained by the Government of Pakistan under the Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance. Those persons on the list are prohibited from leaving Pakistan.
1. Exit from Pakistan (Control) Ordinance, 1981, empowers the Federal Government to prohibit any person from proceeding abroad. Ordinarily following categories of persons are placed on ECL:-
2. The On-Line System is operational at the Ministry linked with international airports at Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Islamabad and Faisalabad. 3. Any person aggrieved by the order of Federal Government regarding placement of his name on ECL, can under the law, file a Review Petition giving justifications for review and also can seek a personal hearing with the competent authority. 4. ECL is reviewed periodically to assess the need for further retention of a person on ECL.
Pakistan's Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was responsible for control on Exit Control List but now this responsibility has been shifted to Ministry of Interior and thus avoiding the previously experienced complications in this regard. Minister for Interior Ch. Nisar has recently announced the ECL review policy according to which no name will remain on ECL for more than a year.