Zulfi Bukhari moves Islamabad High Court against blacklist placement

PTI chairman's close associate was barred from leaving country on June 11

ISLAMABAD: Syed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari (Zulfi Bukhari) on Thursday moved the  Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his name being placed on the black list.

Bukhari, a close associate of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan, was proceeding to Saudi Arabia alongside the cricket legend on June 11 when he was barred from leaving the country at the Nur Khan Airbase. Bukhari was later granted six-day permission to perform Umrah by the interior ministry.



Bukhari moved the court against his name being placed on the no-fly list hours after returning to the country today (Thursday). Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC issued notices to respondents after hearing the petition.

In his petition, Bukhari said the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had summoned him in connection with companies named in the Panama Papers. He said he only received the notices after his father forwarded them to him in London. Since he is ordinarily resident in the United Kingdom, Bukhari said he had not violated any law. He also claimed to be incognisant of anything pertaining to the Panama Papers.



Saying that a travel ban on Bukhari violated Articles 9, 10, 14 and 18 of the Constitution, his counsel Sikander Memon asked the court to have his name removed from the ECL. Memon also argued that the NAB could not have the name of an under-investigation individual's name placed on the ECL.

Justice Farooq adjourned the hearing till June 21 after issuing notices to respondents.