The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the removal of Aleema Khan, sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, and PTI spokesperson Raoof Hasan from the Passport Control List (PCL) and Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro, heard Aleema Khan’s petition, instructing her to approach the trial court for permission to travel abroad. Advocates Ali Bukhari, Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry, and Niazullah Niazi represented her in court.

In a separate ruling, Justice Inam Amin Minhas accepted Raoof Hasan’s plea, declaring the inclusion of his name on the PCL as illegal and mala fide. The court ordered Hasan’s name be removed from the PCL and directed him to seek trial court approval for international travel.Hasan’s counsel argued that he is a cancer survivor requiring regular medical check-ups in the UK every six months, emphasizing that his inclusion on the PCL lacked justification.

The court noted that Hasan is on bail in an ongoing Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) case, with no request from the state to cancel his bail. The IHC highlighted procedural irregularities, stating that the FIA recommended Hasan’s inclusion on the PCL on July 24, 2024, and the Director General of Immigration and Passports added his name on August 26 without federal government approval.

The court ruled that placing a person’s name on the PCL merely due to a pending criminal case or ongoing investigation is unjustified under the Passport Rules, which vest authority to regulate entry and exit with the federal government.

It is worth mentioning here that Raoof Hasan was placed under FIA custody in the Peca case for a total of seven days, consisting of a two-day physical remand, a three-day extension, and a two-day extension for additional investigation. He was moved to Adiala Jail following his 14-day remand, but was also taken into custody in connection with a terrorism case that same day.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)