KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) on Tuesday issued notices to the Federal Ministry of Interior, director general of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), director general of Immigration, Director FIA Sindh as well as deputy attorney general on a constitutional petition filed by super model Ayyan Ali, challenging the third memorandum issued by Federal Ministry of Interior that included her name in the Exit Control List (EC) for the third time.
A two-member bench, headed by justice Aqeel Ahmed Abbasi was hearing two applications of Ayyan Ali. However, the court dismissed the urgent application for hearing of the contempt application filed by Ayyan Ali. During the hearing, the deputy attorney general submitted that the matter has already been pending before the Supreme Court, therefore, the court adjourn the hearing until the final order of the Supreme Court.
According to the petitioner, she was barred from leaving the country on June 15 by the FIA. The agency had stopped her when she was about to fly for Dubai after her name was removed from the ECL on the SHC’s directives.
Earlier, the SHC had directed the Interior Ministry to strike Ayyan’s name off the list that restrained her from going out of the country after several hearings.
Secretary of Interior Arif Ahmed Khan had informed the court that that the government, while complying with its directives, has removed Ayyan’s name from the ECL.
The model got surprised when she approached Karachi airport to travel abroad but came to know that her name was re-inserted in the list. She kept the SHC’s order in hand and was showing to counter but to no avail. Ayyan requested the court to initiate the contempt of court’s proceedings against them. Earlier, she had also filed the contempt plea against the federal government but it was disposed of by the government on assurance that its directives will be complied with.
The petitioner stated that federal interior ministry issued third memorandum on June 15, 2016 and included her name again in the ECL for the third time, adding that the act is the violation the SHC’s order.
Citing secretary Ministry of Interior, Incharge of the Jinnah International Airport, Karachi. Additional secretary of ECL, Director FIA Sindh, DG FIA Headquarters Islamabad, Collector of Customs Adjudication, Chairman FBR, DG Passport & Immigration and Additional Director FIA as respondents, she pleaded the SHC to declare that act of the respondents as illegal, malafide and unjustified. The court was further requested to set aside the impugned third memorandum.
