The Spy Chronicles: Defence ministry raises objection on removal of Durani's name from ECL

Court reserves verdict on plea seeking removal of Durrani's name from ECL


News Desk February 21, 2019
Lt Gen (retd) Asad Durrani. PHOTO: EXPRESS/ZAFAR ASLAM

The defence ministry raised an objection on Thursday on the removal of former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Lt-Gen (retd) Asad Durrani's name from the Exit Control List (ECL), Express News reported.

Durani's name was placed on the ECL in May last year after the army requested to impose a travel ban on him for co-authoring a book, The Spy Chronicles, with Amarjit Sindh Dulat, former chief of Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday conducted the hearing regarding the removal of Durani's name from the ECL. During the hearing, Defence Ministry spokesperson Brigadier Falak Naz presented a report before the court.

IHC orders removal of Asad Durrani's name from no-fly list

The spokesperson assured Justice Mohsin Akhtar Kiyani that the inquiry had been completed and in accordance with the details mentioned in the report Durani's name should not be removed from ECL.

During the hearing, Asad Durrani argued if his book has become an issue of national security then former army chief General (retd) Pervaiz Musharaf's name should also be placed on ECL since he also authored a book.

"I retired in the year 1993 and wrote this book as an analyst in 2008. What wrong have I done?" Durrani questioned.

The court has reserved the verdict on the petition seeking removal of former ISI chief's name from the ECL.

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