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The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday expressed displeasure over how the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chief's associate Zulfi Bukhari managed to travel abroad earlier this month while his name was on the no-fly list.
Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari, a British national, was on June 11 informed by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) that his name was on the blacklist, according to a petition filed by his lawyer, Sikandar Bashir Mohmand.
Bukhari was briefly stopped from boarding a special flight on a private plane bound for Saudi Arabia from Noor Khan Airbase to perform Umrah with Imran Khan on June 11, but later permitted to travel when Khan spoke directly to the "concerned quarters".
According to the petition, Bukhari is facing an inquiry and the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) has issued multiple notices to him since February this year. However, Bukhari has not joined the inquiry, and ─ upon receiving a third notice ─ stated that since he is a British national, NAB lacks the jurisdiction to investigate him.
The IHC today, hearing Bukhari's petition seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List (ECL), ordered Bukhari to join the NAB inquiry against him 'in good faith', upon NAB Additional Deputy Prosecutor General Sardar Muzaffar Abbasi's request.
Abbasi told the court that NAB had moved a request for placing Bukhari's name on the ECL, but at that time the relevant subcommittee was dysfunctional so his name had been added to the blacklist.
He said that Bukhari was issued repeated notices but did not cooperate with NAB, so NAB had moved a request with the Interior Ministry to place him on the ECL.
Justice Farooq observed that the blacklist was meant to restrict movements of a person involved in anti-state activities, and wondered how Bukhari was allowed to "leave in such haste without informing NAB".
Justice Farooq asked the Interior Ministry section officer how and why Bukhari was allowed to proceed for Umrah while his name had already been placed on a no-fly list.
He remarked that the Interior Ministry ordinarily displayed reluctance to remove names from the ECL despite the orders of superior courts but in this case, they showed remarkable efficiency.
He further said, "I wish such efficiency was displayed in cases pertaining to the general public."
Subsequently, the court directed the Interior Ministry and NAB to submit written replies on the matter.
The judge also took up another petition that requested the court to initiate proceedings against the officials of the defence and interior ministries for allowing Bukhari to depart from Noor Khan Airbase.
The court directed the Defence Ministry to depute an official to brief the court on the issue and put off the matter till next Wednesday.
"Zulfi Bukhari vowed to return," interim interior minister tells Senate
In a briefing to Senate Standing Committee for Interior, caretaker Interior Minister Azam Khan said that he was told that Bukhari had "vowed to return [to Pakistan]" after which he had allowed the latter to leave the country for six days.
Azam told the committee that the interior secretary had handed him a file and told him that a man named Zulfi Bukhari, who is on the "blacklist", was stopped from leaving for Umrah with Imran.
Bukhari had requested that his name be taken off the blacklist and asked for a "one-time permission" to travel abroad.
"I saw Bukhari's file and gave him permission to leave the country for six days and wrote that he must return," Azam told the standing committee.
He further said that he had not received a call from the PTI chief or anyone else.
For more live updates, follow Dawn.com's official news Instagram account @dawn.today
Comments (41) Closed
And ik used to say that law should be equal for the poor n the rich. Hilarious. Only in Pakistan can leaders make the people such fools n get away with it
Interior Minister must resign now; being guilty of nepotism
IK and PTI has double standard
The caretaker PM had ordered an enquiry. What happened to it? This sort of enquiry should not take more than 48 hours.
There is so much misinformation abut this whole saga. Mr Bukhari is a British national with all his businesses abroad, he has no connection to Pakistan, he brings money into Pakistan, he has never held any office in Pakistan nor has any businesses in Pakistan. If he had off shore companies which is not against the law, they had no business in Pakistan. If NAB is making an inquiry then that is fine. He was never on ECL but simply a blacklist which is ad hoc. He made a formal request to be allowed to travel. Now tell me which laws has he broken, who has he robbed, what money laundering he has done, which tax payers money he has used, has he harmed Pakistan in anyway. Mr Bukhari raises the profile of Pakistanis abroad and gives a good name to Pakistan unlike the other looters who bring Pakistan into disrepute. Come on people think before making accusation.
Has he looted any tax payers funds, so many hundreds of politicians abroad running away and the has a man who is raising Pakistan's profile and bringing money into Pakistan. Is this against the law.
@Shuaib For what, think before making stupid comments. What has he done wrong.
"How was Zulfi Bukhari allowed to travel abroad so easily? asks IHC" : Just like Ayyan Ali was allowed to travel abroad without any restrictions. Long live democracy in our country.
Aren't some persons above the laws of the land? It is in their power to use the magic wand and to get their wishes fulfilled spontaneously including removal of any person's name from any black or white lists. They have to show their might to the people the only way they understand. Might is always right, even when it is wrong.
@Hasnain Haque
Doesn't matter. If for non-compliance, even on a wrong order, he doesn't contest and for being a no-show is placed on ECL, he needs to abide by it till his name is cleared. US Consulate personnel, who enjoyed diplomatic immunity, can and have been barred from traveling on similar grounds till an all-clear was officially given.
Even a person who has not committed a murder and has been falsely implicated of the crime doesn't go around running free but has to defend himself in a court of law and get exonerated rather than defying the law.
Agreed that he probably has been on the list for no reason, he didn't follow protocol only because he was with IK or is an almost billionaire? How do you explain not permitting a common man such privileges?
The honourable judge has raised the most appropriate questions that need address.
@Hasnain Haque do not blow your own trumpet, this is practice of PTI
@Dr. Doctor Yes but he was not on ECL and he followed protocol to have his name removed from blacklist. He has not been charged with anything, he is not being sought for anything either.
Why PTI Chief Imran Khan is associated with a crook BUKHARI ?
Press should ask Imran Khan?
@Hasnain Haque Are you telling the judge that his question is not valid?
@trueguy Do you want the corrupt PMLN or PPP again? Please wake up.
@Hasnain Haque This is what the judge is asking. To explain how he got his name removed form the black list.
How many times the corrupt Nawaz and co was let go of out of the country despite he looting the country with both hands and his brother taking lives of the poor Pakistanis, what about Raymond Davis, Ayan Ali, Zardari and the list goes on. People should speak up against this too. Ladies & Gents this is our only chance to bring Imran Khan, don't spoil it by these silly things he is being accused of, a lot of money is being put in to this to stop Ik.
It is a sad realization that IK is no different than sharifs or zardari. Naya Pakistan will remain an illusion and nothing more.
@Hasnain Haque - the real corrupt, those who defame our country come and go as they please, case in point NS & Co and American nationals who commit murderous crimes!
@Emerging Pakistan Actually he does not want a new corrupt mafia :D
New rules for new Pakistan.Rules are changed with one finger going up.We should expose the person ordering this on a single call .
I think people dont know the background. His father was a politician and was member of parliament. What is the difference between him and Hussain Nawaz. If he is clean than why is he avoiding the law, and if he is not a pakistani citizen than why is he present in the meetings of IK.
@Shuaib , fully agree.
I am a PTI supporter but I want to know how he was allowed.
If PTI does same like other parties it has no right to form government. It must be brought to justice.
This case must be taken to its logical conclusion. How can someone so easily get away with such a big thing.
Interior ministry's comlacency is very important here.
@Hasnain Haque rules are rules and correct procedures should be followed even if you are an angel. Right?
@Emerging Pakistan They Corrupts of PML and PPP are all in PTI now. So one should not vote PTI to stop corruption
If what the article says is true, then what is the difference between PTI and the other parties, as far as rule of law is concerned ( their performance at health and education within KP is unprecedented in Pakistan, although still not quite enough, but in the right direction). To eradicate corruption at ALL levels, we need to enforce the Rule of Law.
IHC should summon caretaker interior Minister who had permitted Zulfi Bokhari to travel abroad and accordingly punish him.
@Hasnain Haque but then same applies to Nawaz Sharif and his sons.
@Hasnain Haque Excellent reply. Also how anyone knew that IK calls someone? people are biased here
@Emerging Pakistan : so you want corrupt PTI?
who is he ?
Its amazing how people with little to no knowledge comment as experts on legal issues. More than 400 Pakistanis were named in panama papers but remarkably only person other than NS chosen for inquiry is a UK national and for the record does not any business in Pakistan neither does his immediate family. How can authorities ignore the Pakistanis named in the list who have businesses in Pakistan and chose a British national with Pakistani origin for inquiry. If this is not unfair then i wonder what is
Can't we get over this useless fuss? There are obviously more important things to worry about. For example our economic crisis.
@Hasnain Haque if he is contributing to a Pakistani party, yes it is our business. He needs to follow the law of our country when here.
Looks like that is why NAB did not get ECL against Nawaz Sharif. Seems like the rich can pay their way around to bypass ECL
He went out from airbase and none in the country can stop or allow except establishment.
@Hasnain Haque - how do you know everything without investigation. Many of these businessmen do project in the country due to connections with top politicians and generals and they pay bribe or party funds to get those contracts.
Did he come back?
@Hasnain You claim he is British citizen yet state he is pakistani. As a matter of fact is dual national and being a pakistani on Pakistan soil means he should abid by Pakistan law whatsoever. Does holding a UK passport make him immune to Pakistan law when he resides in Pakistan?
What is he being investigated for????