Ayyan Ali challenges her court sentences

Bail requests of two currency smugglers rejected

RAWALPINDI: Former model Ayyan Ali has challenged sentences pronounced by a customs court and a customs tribunal, claiming that the law does not permit announcing two, separate punishments for a single offence.

Ayyan had been arrested from the Shaheed Benazir Bhutto International Airport in 2015 while attempting to board a United Arab Emirates (UAE) bound flight while carrying $506,800 in cash without having the requisite permission from the State Bank of Pakistan.

She was subsequently jailed and the government put her name on the Exit Control List (ECL). The supermodel did manage to travel to Dubai, but not before the court released her on bail and directed to remove her name from the ECL.

Her lawyer Nasir Abbas on Monday challenged a sentence issued by a customs court and the customs tribunal in a customs court.

Abbas contended that the customs tribunal had confiscated Rs50 million from his client, while the tribunal had also fined Ayyan Rs50 million.

He argued that under the law, two punishments cannot be given for a single crime and urged the court to dismiss the case. Customs Court Judge Arshad Bhutta admitted the petition for hearing and issued notices to customs authorities to submit a reply by October 22.

Bails rejected

In a separate case, Customs Court Judge Arshad Bhutta has rejected bail applications of two men who had been caught smuggling Rs38.6 million.

When the case was heard on Monday, Customs prosecutor Amin Feroze contended that currency smuggling was hollowing out the national economy like a termite infestation.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 9^th, 2018.