When contacted, NAB spokesman Ramzan Sajid declined to give details of the cases against the Sharifs. He neither denied nor confirmed that the names of the PML-N leaders were in the list.

“We have sent the record of more than 16,000 people to the ECP,” he said.

The spokesman said NAB had received records of 19,400 candidates and the record of 16,526 had been scrutinised and sent back to the ECP. “Of the total applications received by NAB, 2,874 are under process and will be returned by late tonight,” he added.

The election cell of NAB receives relevant information from regional offices, compiles the record of candidates and forwards it to the ECP within 24 hours, in accordance with a decision taken at a meeting with the ECP last month.

Representatives of relevant departments including National Database Registration Authority, Federal Board of Revenue, and State Bank of Pakistan attended the meeting.