PHC orders removal of Asma Alamgir’s name from ECL

Author: inp

The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the federal government to remove the name of Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Asma Arbab Alamgir from the Exit Control List (ECL).

The PHC bench ordered the Interior secretary to appear before the court on Wednesday (May 29) if the matter was not immediately resolved.

Asma Arbab Alamgir had filed a contempt of court petition against the federal government for its failure to comply with earlier court orders for removing her name from the no-fly list.

The petition stated that the high court had directed the government to remove Asma Alamgir’s name from the ECL, but the orders were not implemented.

While talking to the media, she said her name had remained on the ECL for the past one year. “The trial court has granted me permission, but the government is seeking revenge,” she said.

Asma Alamgir said that the government had resorted to victimisation of the opposition as it was not following the court’s decision.

The PHC had directed the Ministry of Interior on April 24 to remove Asma Alamgir’s name from ECL.

The order was issued by a division bench, comprising Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali, after hearing a writ petition filed by Asma Alamgir.

She and her husband, Arbab Alamgir, face charges of accumulating assets beyond their known sources of income in a reference filed by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB).

Separately, an anti-corruption court in Peshawar on Tuesday granted bail to Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) Khyber Pakhtunkhwa president Amir Muqam’s son Ishtiaq Muqam and other accused.

The court approved the bail of the PML-N provincial president’s son and cousin as well as other accused against a surety bond of Rs 500,000 each.

Amir Muqam said fake cases couldn’t stand in the court of law. “The PML-N will continue struggling for the rights of the people of the country,” he added.

The PML-N leader said political vengeance could not frighten and keep them from speaking the truth.

Earlier, on May 13, the Anti-Corruption Wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had arrested Amir Muqam’s son over alleged financial corruption in a road construction project.