ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday suspended the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) notification of placing the names of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Shahzad Akbar, Shahbaz Gill and four others on the “stop list”.
Shahzad Akbar filed a petition with the IHC on Tuesday, seeking revocation of the FIA move that bars him and others from foreign travel. Akbar and Gill later appeared before the court as the plea was taken up for hearing.
During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the court had already declared the “black list” illegal. Akbar urged the court to summon the FIA chief and inquire from him on whose directions his name was placed on the “no-fly list”.
He said in case he had committed a crime, “there should be an application moved [to request such a move]”. The court, while referring to Gill and Akbar, asked whether the duo had plans to go abroad by tomorrow. “We are seeking a reply from the FIA tomorrow,” Justice Minallah said.
The IHC then sought a reply from the interior secretary and the director general of FIA chief and adjourned the hearing till Wednesday.
Later on, the high court also suspended the flight ban against three other PTI members including former principle secretary Azam Khan, Imran’s ex-focal person on digital media Dr Arslan Khalid, and Mohammad Gohar Nafees.
Shahzad, Shahbaz file petition
The PTI leaders had filed petitions in the IHC against their names being added to the FIA’s ‘stop list’. The petition maintained that there was no case or charges against the leaders; therefore, the ban on them travelling abroad was against the law.
Former PM aide on accountability, Shahzad Akbar, asked the court to summon the FIA and inquire them about who gave their names for the ‘stop list’ as there was no cabinet and no government as of recent.
“There must be a case or a requesting agency for being put on the stop list. The director general of the FIA must reveal the person who placed this order,” Shahzad added.
Talking to journalists, Shahbaz Gill claimed that his name and the names of his colleagues were added to the Exit Control List (ECL) while members of the National Assembly were being “bought and sold at the behest of the US”.
He maintained that adding people’s names to the ‘stop list’ without charges of corruption against them was contempt towards honest people.
Earlier, it was reported that the FIA had placed six key members of the former PTI government — Gill; Akbar; Imran Khan’s focal person on digital media, Dr Arsalan Khalid; PM’s former principal secretary Azam Khan; Punjab Anti Corruption Director-General Gohar Nafees; and Mohammad Rizwan — on the “stop list”. Any person placed on the “stop list” is not allowed to leave the country.
