Interior secy put on notice over failure to remove Dr Asim's name from ECL

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Friday issued notices to the interior secretary and additional secretary to respond to an application of PPP leader Dr Asim Hussain seeking initiation of contempt proceedings against them for flouting its order with regard to removal of his name from the ECL.

Dr Asim through his counsel Sardar Latif Khosa filed an application, requesting the apex court to initiate contempt of court proceedings against the officials of the Interior Ministry for failing to remove his name from the no-fly list despite its orders.

Justice Mushir Alam remarked he read in a newspaper that Dr Asim’s name was removed from the ECL.

On which, Khosa informed the judge that his client’s name has not been removed from the ECL as yet.

Dr Asim had taken the interior secretary and additional secretary to the court for flouting its order that directed them to remove his name from the no-fly list.

He stated that the authorities had not removed his name from the ECL, which is flagrant violation of the apex court’s order. He was to leave for London on Nov 21 for medical treatment, but he couldn’t owing to travel restrictions, he complained.

The PPP leader, thus, pleaded with the judges to initiate contempt proceedings against the above-mentioned ‘contemnors’.

On Nov 16, the apex court granted Dr Asim permission to travel abroad on the medical grounds. It directed the authorities concerned to remove his name from the ECL.

Meanwhile, an accountability court on Friday permitted Pakistan Peoples Party leader Dr Asim Hussain to travel abroad for treatment.

The court exempted the PPP leader from appearing before it in future trial proceedings on medical grounds.