Latest news with #ProvisionalNationalIdentificationList
Express Tribune
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
ATC rejects Aleema Khan's travel plea
A special Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) rejected on Saturday the plea of Aleema Khan, the sister of the PTI founder, to be granted permission to travel to the UK for fundraising for Shaukat Khanum Hospital and NUML University. The court also dismissed her request for exemption from appearing in the GHQ attack, May 9 tragedy cases, and the November 26 protests cases. In her application, Aleema Khan's lawyer, Faizal Malik, argued that the petitioner is a member of the Board of Governors of NUML University and wishes to travel abroad to raise funds for a noble cause. He mentioned that NUML University is facing financial challenges, and the Islamabad High Court (IHC) had ordered her name to be removed from the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). The petitioner sought exemption from attendance for only three weeks, noting that the charge sheet in the case against her had not yet been submitted, so personal appearance was unnecessary. She was also ready to provide an undertaking. Ali Bukhari, another lawyer, argued that since the trial had not yet started, the petitioner's personal appearance was not essential. He added that in similar cases, the court had previously granted relief to the accused, and the petitioner's purpose for going abroad was not for personal reasons but for a noble cause. Public Prosecutor Zahid Shah stated that the prosecution had no objections to the noble cause. He pointed out that Aleema Khan had filed a pre-arrest bail application in the same case where she was seeking exemption, and her pre-arrest bail hearing is scheduled for May 21. He also noted that there are 11 additional cases registered against her in Rawalpindi, and she has not been granted bail in any of these cases.
Express Tribune
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
IHC lifts travel ban on PTI leaders
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday ordered the removal of Aleema Khan's name, the sister of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, from the travel ban lists and directed her to approach the trial court for permission to travel abroad. The IHC also issued a six page-judgment allowing PTI leader Raoof Hasan's plea for the removal of his name from the travel ban list and similarly instructed him to seek permission from the trial court to travel abroad. IHC Justice Khadim Hussain Soomro heard Aleema Khan's petition. During the hearing, advocates Ali Bukhari, Khalid Yousuf Chaudhry and Niazullah Niazi appeared in the court on behalf of the petitioner. The court accepted the petition and ordered the removal of her name from the Passport Control List (PCL) and the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL). The court instructed her to seek permission for foreign travel from the trial court. Meanwhile, IHC Justice Inam Amin Minhas issued his written decision, approving the petition of Raoof Hasan for the removal of his name from the PCL. The judge said that a criminal case, pending or under investigation, did not justify the inclusion of the petitioner's name in the PCL. The court declared the order to include Hasan's name in the PCL as illegal. It added that the petitioner was on bail in the case against him but the state did not approach the relevant court for the bail cancellation. The court ordered the removal of Hasan's name from the PCL and directed him to approach the trial court for permission to travel abroad. The court also directed the trial court to decide the application expeditiously as per the law.
Express Tribune
15-02-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
PHC orders removal of Azam Swati's name from ECL
Peshawar High Court has granted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati permission to travel abroad, ordering his name to be removed from the Exit Control List (ECL). According to the written order issued,, the court directed authorities to remove Swati's name from all travel restriction lists, including the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) and the Passport Control List (PCL). Swati had challenged the travel ban imposed on him, arguing that the restrictions were unjustified. Last month, the division bench of the Lahore High Court (LHC) on Thursday granted bail to former federal minister and leader of the PTI Azam Khan Swati in the October 4 case registered at the Taxila police station. The bench comprising Justice Sadaqat Ali Khan and Justice Sadiq Mehmood Khurram ordered the PTI leader to submit a surety bond of Rs50,000. Swati has been in custody for the past four months and is currently incarcerated in Attock Jail. During the hearing, Advocate Dr Babar Awan argued that Swati's arrest was unjustified and that protest is a constitutional right of every citizen, which cannot be denied. He claimed that the police had levelled false accusations against his client. The court accepted the bail plea, opening the way for his release. There are two remaining cases, in which bail is also likely. This bail decision has also paved the way for the release of other arrested workers involved in the October 4 and 5 protests, including those from Taxila, Hassan Abdal, and Attock cases. Moreover, in October 2024, an anti-terrorism court (ATC) in Islamabad granted bail to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Azam Swati in a case filed under terrorism provisions. The case, registered at Sangjani Police Station, charged Swati with terrorism-related offences following protests and vandalism. Judge Abu Al-Hasanat Muhammad Zulkernain presided over the case and approved Swati's post-arrest bail against surety bonds of Rs20,000. Swati had been detained under terrorism clauses following allegations of inciting protests that led to property damage. Swati's legal team maintained that the charges were politically motivated. Furthermore, Swati on Sunday was taken into custody after a raid at his farmhouse in Chak Shahzad by the Federal Investigation Agency's (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing Islamabad for allegedly tweeting against senior military officials in November 2022. He was later produced before a judicial magistrate, who handed him over to the FIA on a two-day physical remand. An FIR against Swati was registered by the FIA Cyber Crime Wing on November 26 2022 over 'controversial' tweets he had posted recently allegedly against government functionaries, including the former chief of the army staff (COAS). The report maintained that the PTI leader had started a 'highly obnoxious campaign of intimidating tweets' against state institutions, including the army chief 'with malafide intentions and ulterior motives'. The FIR was registered on the complaint of the state through Islamabad Cyber Crime Reporting Centre Technical Assistant Aneesur Rehman.
