Ayyan ECL case: SHC issues contempt of court notices to FIA, others

According to details, Sindh High Court issued the notices to the relevant departments on the basis of Ayyan’s petition. The court also issued directives for the concerned departments to respond to the notice by May 4. Ayyan adopted the stance that her name had not been stricken off from the Exit Control List after specific directions had been given by the Supreme Court. Ayyan also stated that she had wanted to travel to Dubai to visit her mother.

At first, the Interior Ministry had Ayyan’s name stricken off from the ECL. However, the FIA had contacted the Interior Ministry and urged it to reinstate the supermodel’s name in the ECL since she was being investigated for money laundering. The Interior Ministry had then included Ayyan’s name again in the ECL.

The supermodel had been arrested from Islamabad airport last year in March, after more than USD 500,000 had been confiscated from her. Ayyan was arrested and sent to Adiala Jail on charges of money laundering and currency smuggling. Four months later, she was released on bail.

Following the Supreme Court’s orders, Ayyan had attempted to leave for Dubai but was stopped at the Jinnah International Airport in Karachi by airport authorities, who said that they could not let her pass since her name was still mentioned in the ECL.