Court voids Rashid's Umrah permission

Rules ATC competent forum for travel approval

RAWALPINDI:

The Lahore High Court's Rawalpindi Bench has set aside a single-bench decision allowing former interior minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to perform Umrah.

The divisional bench, comprising Justice Jawad Hassan and Justice Tariq Mehmood Bajwa, accepted the government's intra-court appeal and restored Sheikh Rashid's petition, which had earlier been dismissed on technical grounds by an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC).

It ruled that the ATC is the competent forum to decide on his request to travel abroad, including for Umrah.

The court observed that since the petitioner is facing a case under the Anti-Terrorism Act, restrictions on foreign travel stem from that case. Therefore, the ATC has the legal authority to hear and decide the matter. Direct recourse to the High Court was deemed inappropriate.

The judgment further stated that the single bench order permitting Umrah was illegal as it relied solely on the statement of a law officer, who has no authority to grant such consent.

The court termed the statement irresponsible and misleading, emphasising that a law officer's duty is to assist the court impartially, not to favour any party.

The bench noted that the case against the petitioner is pending before the ATC, making it the appropriate forum for granting travel permission. It added that the petitioner himself approached the ATC during the appeal, confirming its jurisdiction.

Allowing the appeal, the court declared that only the trial court—i.e., the Anti-Terrorism Court—has the authority to decide on passport and travel permissions. Sheikh Rashid's counsel, Sardar Abdul Razzaq, said they would now approach the lower court with legal arguments.

The decision effectively dashed the former minister's plans to perform Umrah before Eidul Fitr.