IHC issues notices in petition against 'unexplained' blacklisting

The Islamabad High Court has issued notices to the federal government and other relevant authorities on a petition filed by Aziz Butt, a Pakistani citizen residing in Cambodia, seeking the removal of his name from the blacklist. The court has directed all respondents to submit their replies.

Aziz Butt lives in Cambodia with his family. Upon visiting Pakistan recently, he was unable to return due to travel restrictions imposed on him by the local authorities without informing him of the reasons for it.

Under Article 199 of Pakistan’s constitution, he has filed for a petition with the Islamabad High Court (IHC) against his name appearing on the blacklist, and awaits their response.

Article 199 grants the high courts the necessary jurisdiction to hear petitions for travel bans, i.e, placement on the Exit Control List (ECL) or Passport Control List (PCL).

Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro of the IHC heard the case on the petition on Thursday. The petitioner’s lawyer, Abdul Rehman Babar, outlined the case, adding that they had approached the relevant forums, “but no response was received”.

“The relevant authorities neither respond nor implement the orders,” he emphasised.

Justice Soomro remarked that the court would “issue directions to the concerned authorities and call for a compliance report.” He further noted that in similar cases, “the directions we have issued so far have been implemented”.

An example from last year includes a petition by Shibli Faraz, a prominent member of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), who was removed from the PCL after a court ruling, yet his name still remained on the ECL due to bureaucratic differences and blockages.

Read: Shibli Faraz removed from travel restriction list after court ruling

The court summoned the Assistant Attorney General to the rostrum and ordered him to ensure that a decision on the petitioner’s application is made within 10 days. The judge directed that the authorities must “decide the citizen’s application within ten days and submit the compliance report to the Deputy Registrar Judicial”.

With these instructions, the Islamabad High Court has adjourned the hearing for 10 days.