IHC seeks report on Zartaj Gul's travel ban

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought a report from authorities concerned in a case pertaining to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Zartaj Gul’s travel ban, ARY News reported.

According to details, the IHC bench comprising Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri, who heard the case, also directed the relevant officer to appear in court for the next hearing.

Zartaj Gul had filed a petition through her counsel, maintaining that despite being granted bail in 47 cases, including 21 terrorism-related cases, her name was not removed from the Exit Control List (ECL).

In the petition it was maintained that the PTI leader’s name was initially removed from the ECL but was later reinstated. The court was requested to direct the authorities to remove her name from the ECL.

The petition named the federal government, through the Ministry of Interior, as a party, along with the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), Ministry of Interior, Punjab Home Department, Punjab government, and Islamabad police.

Earlier on December 14, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) in Islamabad has discharged 32 suspects who were arrested in connection with the recent violent protests at the capital city’s D-Chowk.

The court’s decision came after the police failed to provide sufficient evidence against the suspects, who were arrested on November 25, according to the investigators. The police presented 32 suspects of violent incidents in Islamabad during the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) protest before ATC Judge Abul Hasanat Zulqarnain.

The capital police requested a 30-day physical remand for the suspects, but the court rejected the plea.

The suspects’ lawyer, Anser Kiani, told the court that the accused are innocent labourers who were picked up from their homes and thrown into jail ‘just to meet the count’. He argued that the police had failed to conduct identification parade, and now seeking 30-day physical remand.