Is Ayyan a terrorist, asks a miffed top court

SC takes up interior ministry’s appeal against excluding the model’s name from ECL.

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court expressed on Tuesday its utter displeasure at the authorities of the interior ministry in the matter of removing model Ayyan Ali’s name from Exit Control List (ECL) and asked the state counsel if Ayyan was a terrorist.

The court also listed the federal government’s plea for suspending the SHC’s order in Ayyan’s case for hearing on Thursday (tomorrow).



On Tuesday, accepting interior ministry’s plea against the Sindh High Court’s (SHC) June 2 order for regular hearing, the apex court sought Attorney-General’s legal assistance on whether the high court can pass such an order in a contempt case.

The bench took a strong exception over the interior ministry’s conduct for placing Ayyan’s name on ECL, and remarked that the right of movement was the fundamental right of all citizens.

Justice Azmat asked if Ayyan was a terrorist and how many names of defaulters had been placed on ECL on the recommendation of FBR.

However, the AAG maintained that Ayyan was accused in Ijaz Mehmood murder case; therefore, she was barred from going abroad.

The two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Sheikh Azmat Saeed, took up the interior ministry’s appeal against the SHC’s fresh order for removing Ayyan Ali’s name from ECL.

Ayyan was granted bail in July last year. The model is facing trial before a customs court for allegedly trying to smuggle more than half a million dollars out of the country.

On March 7, the SHC struck down an interior ministry’s memorandum about restricting the model from travelling abroad, allowing her to do so. The apex court also upheld the SHC order on April 13 after the government filed an appeal against the SHC judgment.

However, Ayyan’s name was again placed on ECL on account of personal liability to pay Rs52,960,600 on FBR’s request.



Later, Ayyan filed a contempt petition in the SHC, where the interior ministry’s order to place her name was again set aside.

Last week, Interior Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan filed an appeal against the SHC order.

Additional Attorney-General Waqar Rana submitted that the high court’s order was not sustainable under the law.

He also feared that uploading the names of all persons on ECL on its website might create social and cultural problems for them.

The AAG contended that the high court could not issue such orders suo motu for placing information online and other directions particularly when no request was made to that effect.

The bench later adjourned the case.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 22^nd, 2016.