The Islamabad High Court has issued notices to the federal government and relevant authorities on a petition filed by overseas Pakistani Aziz Butt, who seeks the removal of his name from the blacklist. The court directed all respondents to submit their replies promptly. Additionally, the court emphasised that unexplained travel restrictions cannot be imposed without proper communication to affected citizens.
Aziz Butt, who lives in Cambodia with his family, discovered he was barred from travel during a recent visit to Pakistan. He was prevented from returning abroad, despite receiving no explanation from authorities about why his name had been blacklisted. Moreover, he filed a petition under Article 199 of the Constitution, which empowers high courts to hear cases related to travel bans and restrictions.
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During Thursday’s hearing, Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro reviewed the case details presented by Butt’s lawyer, Abdul Rehman Babar. The lawyer said they had approached all necessary forums but received no response or action from officials. Furthermore, he stressed that authorities often fail to follow court directions unless strict timelines are imposed.
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Justice Soomro stated that the court would issue clear directions to the relevant departments and seek a compliance report. He added that similar cases in the past had seen mixed implementation, highlighting the need for stronger oversight. He noted previous situations where court rulings were delayed or partially followed due to bureaucratic hurdles.
The judge summoned the Assistant Attorney General and ordered him to ensure that a decision on the petitioner’s application is made within 10 days. Additionally, the authorities were directed to submit a compliance report to the Deputy Registrar Judicial within the same period. With these instructions, the court adjourned the case for 10 days, awaiting the official response.