Notices issued on petition seeking travel ban for Nawaz, Maryam

LAHORE: The Lahore High Court (LHC) has issued notices to the interior secretary and other federal authorities to furnish their replies on a petition seeking inclusion of the names of former premier Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz on the Exit Control List (ECL). 

A bench of the high court directed the official respondents to submit comments on the petition filed by Amna Sheikh until June 25.

The petitioner, in the petition, contended that a number of cases against the former premier and his daughter are pending and expressed apprehension that they might fly out of the country to avoid trial.

The petitioner said their names should have been placed on the ECL as per laws, but couldn’t be put owing to the intervention of the federal cabinet.

She argued it is the prerogative of the Ministry of Interior to impose a travel ban and that the cabinet’s prior permission to include or strike any name off the no-fly list is unconstitutional.

The petitioner told the court that the Supreme Court had already declared the cabinet’s meddling in the matter unlawful. The court was pleaded to issue directives for placing the names of Sharif and Maryam on the ECL.

A federal law officer present in the courtroom objected that the petition was not maintainable and requested the judge to dismiss it.

The court, however, turned down the objection and issued notices to the respondent authorities to come up with their response on next hearing.