Former minister, PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain PHOTO: AFP
In the appeal, the former petroleum minister has named Secretary Interior Arshad Mirza, Additional Secretary ECL Sher Afghan Khan and Section Officer ECL Qalandar Khan as respondents.
Dr Asim claims he approached the Interior Ministry after the Supreme Court allowed him to travel abroad for medical treatment on November 16, however the ministry did not remove his name from the ECL. His counsel made another request to the Secretary Ministry of Interior on November 17 but “no action was taken”. Another letter was sent on November 20 to the Section Officer, ECL yet the matter remained pending.
The petition asks the SC to convict respondents “for committing contempt” of court, requesting for the removal of Dr Asim’s name from the ECL and permission to travel to the UK for medical treatment.
SC allows Dr Asim to travel abroad for medical treatment
On November 16, the SC had allowed Asim to travel abroad for medical treatment after receiving a reply from the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) regarding the removal of his name from the ECL.
In August 2015, Asim — a close aide of former president Asif Ali Zardari — was detained during a raid at the Higher Education Commission office in the Clifton area of Karachi over alleged embezzlement of funds.
Asim is accused of concealing assets, granting illegal allotments, misusing authority, carrying out land grabbing and fraud, and giving illegal contracts during his tenure in Sui Southern Gas Pipelines Limited. He is also facing a case in an anti-terrorism court.
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