KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Friday directed the top official of the Interior Ministry to appear in court to explain why court’s orders on model Ayan Ali’s plea for travel abroad were not complied with.
A two-member bench had earlier directed the Interior Ministry to strike her name off the Exit Control List on an application of the model.
The Interior Ministry, on court’s directions, removed her name from the ECL, but included her name in the list again after a few hours.
The model moved a contempt of court application in the SHC that once again declared the fresh memorandum of the Interior Ministry illegal, asking the ministry to move the apex court against the SHC order within seven days.
On Friday, Additional Attorney General Salman Talibuddin told the court that the name of the petitioner was not so far deleted from the ECL as the alleged contemnors (interior secretary and others) were making efforts to obtain interim orders from the the Supreme Court against the SHC’s order.
The bench observed that in spite of specific orders of the SC and SHC the alleged contemnors “somehow deliberately attempted to flout the courts orders, which are neither complied with nor did the alleged contemnors have the courtesy to submit any explanation or appear in court for such purpose”.
The bench directed the interior secretary to appear in court on June 14 at 11.3am to explain why contempt of court proceedings may not be initiated against him for defiance of court’s order with impunity. The model had approached the court in December last year, requesting the removal of her name from the ECL. Her counsel maintained that having her name on the ECL was illegal as authorities had returned her passport.
According to Ayyan Ali, she was required to travel abroad for professional assignments and medical treatment, and since she had been released from jail on bail, her name should be struck off the ECL.
