Pashtun rights activist Gulalai Ismail released on interim bail after detention in Islamabad

E-Paper | March 04, 2026

Rights activist Gulalai Ismail — who was earlier in the day detained by airport officials in Islamabad following her return from London — was released on interim bail on Friday evening.

According to her father, while the activist was released from the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) headquarters in Islamabad, her passport was withheld by the officials.

"Gulalai just joined us and we are making our way to our village Swabi," he said while adding that the family will file an application for pre-arrest bail on Saturday (tomorrow) .

Amnesty International, a human rights organisation, had called for Ismail's release a few hours ago.

Earlier in the day, development about her detention was confirmed to DawnNewsTV by Islamabad International Airport officials and Ismail.

Ismail, while speaking to DawnNewsTV, had said that when she returned to Islamabad, she was told by FIA officials that her name was on the Exit Control List.

Subsequently, the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) member said she had been detained at the airport while FIA officials said they were preparing some "necessary documents".

Airport sources said the FIA took Ismail into custody upon her arrival in Islamabad after her Qatar Airways flight. They added that the PTM activist's name was on the ECL.

After Ismail lost contact with DawnNewsTV, her father had claimed that the FIA had arrested her and will hand her over to Swabi police officials.

Swabi police on Aug 13 registered an FIR against 19 PTM leaders, including Ismail, for their involvement in a public gathering in Swabi where PTM's Manzoor Pashteen and Ismail both addressed the crowd.

PTM leaders said that they had already challenged the FIR in the Peshawar High Court and the next hearing of the case is on Oct 25.

Ismail, a Pashtun and women's rights activist, was in 2017 awarded the Reach all Women in War Anna Politovskaya Award.

She co-founded a non-governmental organisation, Aware Girls, with her sister Saba Ismail in 2002. The organisation aims to strengthen the leadership skills of young people, especially women and girls, enabling them to act as agents of change for women empowerment and peace building and to fight for their rights.

Pakistan

Tahir Naseer is a court and crime reporter for Dawn News (TV) with 17 years of experience in the field. He has covered numerous high-profile investigations, and his reporting focuses on transparency, accountability, and systemic challenges within the legal sector. He can be found on X at @tahirnaser.

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lion

Oct 12, 2018 02:00pm

Well... anyone?

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Ahram

Oct 12, 2018 02:07pm

With a same photo actually.

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Oct 12, 2018 02:08pm

So place for dissent? And they talk about Kashmir.

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Nadir

Oct 12, 2018 02:11pm

Naya Pakistan, run by a misogynist what do you expect. Come back PPP/PLMN all is forgiven

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say it

Oct 12, 2018 02:11pm

the same of the same continues......what has changed????

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Jamal Khawer

Oct 12, 2018 02:16pm

Why she off to London. For what??? Who is funding her??

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Adil Jadoon

Oct 12, 2018 02:17pm

@Nadir FIR was registered Aug 13......PTI's fault????

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Adil Jadoon

Oct 12, 2018 02:17pm

@VM two wrongs dont make aright!

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ABDUL MAJEED SHEIKH

Oct 12, 2018 02:18pm

Another Malalai for West!

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Jamil

Oct 12, 2018 02:18pm

By calling yourself a ‘rights’ activist doesnt make you right and above the law

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Anum SIddiqui

Oct 12, 2018 02:21pm

Good. All thos working on foreign agendas should be arrested

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jay

Oct 12, 2018 02:25pm

Imran Khan should interfere and release her

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Mountain boy

Oct 12, 2018 02:36pm

Dangerous trend...those who fight for justice and rule of law have no place..Gulalai bravo, PTM bravo.

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Orakzai

Oct 12, 2018 02:37pm

Once again pushtuns are on target.

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Najum

Oct 12, 2018 02:39pm

Coup without a coup.

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JagoPakistan

Oct 12, 2018 02:55pm

Don’t use force to silence people. Listen to everyone, engage in dialogue, communicate and explain issues to resolve differences.

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saeed

Oct 12, 2018 02:56pm

Involved with PTM with frequent foreign visits,only for women's rights?

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Neo

Oct 12, 2018 02:57pm

@Jamal Khawer. Good point. Need to follow the money trail.

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El Cid

Oct 12, 2018 03:03pm

@jay Why? She has been working against Pakistan from abroad.

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Harmony-1©

Oct 12, 2018 03:05pm

There is as an FIR in the Peshawar High Court and the next hearing of the case is on Oct 25. All will be revealed soon but Indian trolls are jumping up and down here with misinformation and snide remarks for no reason!

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ZZQ

Oct 12, 2018 03:05pm

She should be behind bars!

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Oct 12, 2018 03:10pm

Law should be for everyone.

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DK PAMNANI

Oct 12, 2018 03:16pm

She is another Burhan Wani.

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Sameer

Oct 12, 2018 03:23pm

@VM we didnt kill a phd student today. This so called activist is still alive. We are simply keeping her from fleeing.

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johar

Oct 12, 2018 03:25pm

PTM is upto no good in Pak. Foreign funded.

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Afghan

Oct 12, 2018 03:27pm

PTM is struggling to recover thousands of missing people & to present them before court of law. Gulalai, a brave girl, was working for supreme cause of human rights. Her arrest is violation of law.

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A. ALI

Oct 12, 2018 03:32pm

So ?... what's the news in it ?

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Harmony-1©

Oct 12, 2018 03:50pm

Smile on the face or innocence on the face is as attractive as beauty on the face.

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IQBAL HADI ZAIDI

Oct 12, 2018 03:57pm

I am not against her so please my comments must not be painted otherwise. However, I am quite curious and wanted to dig out as to what obliged her to go to London and that too when she is not employed otherwise she had been sent by the employer on its expense which is not the case as she runs NGO where people contribute for very noble cause and I very much doubt is that noble cause could be met in London so why did she go to London? What deterred her not to go to Mecca or Washington or Paris for that matter if at all she wanted to fly out? Ironically former finance minister Ishaq Dar is in London whereas Hassan and Hussain both sons of former PM Nawaz Sharif are also very much in London and of course Altf Hussain founder of MQM is too in London so should it be construed that a new political party is in the offing which is allowed by law and is not a crime at all. Practical tip > please don’t buy a ticket to fly out of Pakistan or coming back to Pakistan unless you have gone through ECL. I wish her all the best. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

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Aman

Oct 12, 2018 04:03pm

@Asif A. Shah Who told you that she belongs to an ethnic minority?

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Khan

Oct 12, 2018 04:06pm

On the way to disintegration

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Oct 12, 2018 04:08pm

We support this beautiful n courageous lady. Good luck

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Shaikh Mohommad

Oct 12, 2018 04:22pm

Where is Imran Khan? Why is he silent?

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jan

Oct 12, 2018 04:28pm

why do all trsitor come to London

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Hamed Quraishi

Oct 12, 2018 04:35pm

Let the law take its due course. It is still better than countries like India US etc.

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aqua

Oct 12, 2018 04:38pm

@Afghan What law?

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Ather Wahaj

Oct 12, 2018 04:53pm

You dare NOT talk against 'them'...OR... you'll be made an example.

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ExMohajirinUK

Oct 12, 2018 05:13pm

@Anum SIddiqui "Good. All thos working on foreign agendas should be arrested" Including PM, FM and all other politicians who are working for CPEC , IMF, FATF?

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Neshi

Oct 12, 2018 05:18pm

@MG - one thing is good that at least, she is traceable.

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Abdul Muqtadir

Oct 12, 2018 05:42pm

Arrested simply because she Co-Founded an NGO which "aims to strengthen the leadership skills of young people, especially women and girls, enabling them to act as agents of change for women empowerment and peace building and to fight for their rights" Is that a crime or work worth praise and award in a country where education is low women are behind ?

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Raj

Oct 12, 2018 05:56pm

@Sameer That is because she didn't take up weapon. There is no parallels.

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Mirza

Oct 12, 2018 06:11pm

@Nadir case was registered before government even took oath. PTM raising issues for injustices from PPP and pmln time frame.

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Salahuddin

Oct 12, 2018 06:22pm

Mere fact that so many Indians are supporting her speaks volumes

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Hani_Layyah

Oct 12, 2018 06:30pm

@VM then does it means Indian forces have right whatever they do to innocent kashmiris.. ?

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Khurram

Oct 12, 2018 06:51pm

@IQBAL HADI ZAIDI You mean people going to London should be in jail.

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Life

Oct 12, 2018 07:14pm

@Jamal Khawer : So you mean millions of people who are traveling to various countries every day are funded by foreign governments?

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wahid

Oct 12, 2018 07:25pm

@Jamal Khawer good question and here lies the the cause of our problems.Our problems within are and have always caused our national problems.

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Vishal Kumar Dubai

Oct 12, 2018 07:35pm

You must know every second Pakistani is appearing in ECL making the airliners running in loss.

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ASH01

Oct 12, 2018 07:38pm

@ Jamil You finally got it. Calling yourself Kashmiri's well wishers, doesn't make you one.

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MONIER

Oct 12, 2018 07:39pm

@jay He has nothing to do with law enforcement at airports. If he gets involved, the case becomes nepotism and cronyism. They should go to court if they have a case.

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wahid

Oct 12, 2018 07:50pm

What are her sources of income to justify traveling abroad? Why don’t these people use their national airline? Who funds them and their activities. These people may not be agents of change but rather agents of other organisations to undermine their nation in one way or another and hence they live beyond their official sources of income and their assets exceed their income too

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Khan

Oct 12, 2018 07:52pm

I am pastun and i do not need foreign funded so called activist to fighy for my rights. We have all the rights in our country.

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Oct 12, 2018 07:58pm

She has the right to be an activist and speak her mind. She should actually should be encouraged to fight for women,rights. Leave her alone government departments.

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Vijay B.

Oct 12, 2018 08:14pm

As I read it, Gulalai Ismail was entering Pakistan not leaving it, so where does Exit Control List (ECL) come into the picture? They should at least change the name of that list to E&ECL.Exit and Entry Control List.

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Khaja

Oct 12, 2018 08:17pm

@Jamal Khawer That is not important. You are constricting someone's freedom of movement.

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saber

Oct 12, 2018 08:23pm

Another foreign funded NGO ... this need to be stopped now.

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Khara Kuch

Oct 12, 2018 09:26pm

Good. All thos working on foreign agendas should be arrested

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Khara Kuch

Oct 12, 2018 09:27pm

Good. All those working on foreign agendas should be arrested.

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Dawn

Oct 12, 2018 09:40pm

Fame seeker.

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Rohail

Oct 12, 2018 09:55pm

What task she was on this time? Suspected character she has.

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Inaya

Oct 12, 2018 09:57pm

@Jamal Khawer Why shouldn't Gulalai Ismail go to London or anywhere else for that matter? Why cast suspicion and what is wrong with that? She is fighting for a JUST cause and has the RIGHT to both seek support AND lend support. If Imran Khan and Zulfi Bukhari can go to London then so can Gulalai Ismail.

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aisha

Oct 12, 2018 10:30pm

Amnesty never talks about other countries.

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Khan

Oct 12, 2018 10:33pm

shame on govt for this act...

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Khalid Iqbal

Oct 12, 2018 11:01pm

Indian trolls making statements against PTI , they never miss a chance to put down PTI , even though PTI has been in power for only 6 weeks.

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Reality

Oct 12, 2018 11:09pm

@VM & imaginary freedom of speech.

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Ayesha

Oct 12, 2018 11:45pm

So all these foreign funded activist, who are they serving and who's foreign agenda? Why does she need passport and why is she scared? This happens when you take money from foreign governments spy agencies for information warfare in other countries. She and others like her must be jailed for life with no access to meet visitors.

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M.Sethi

Oct 12, 2018 11:49pm

All those working on foreign anti-Pakistan agendas should be arrested.She shouldn't have been released,but left behind bars till she provided answers as to who is funding her activities in Pakistan.

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Oct 13, 2018 01:07am

@Mountain boy Indian troll, are we?

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MONIER

Oct 13, 2018 02:11am

How can they claim to be serving the cause when they use the money from donors to make trips to London.

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Neo

Oct 13, 2018 02:57am

@Orakzai. This has nothing to do with being Pashtun. She has a dubious agenda.

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S Zafar Iqbal

Oct 13, 2018 03:02am

If we want our nation to become strong and progress then we have to honor and celebrate these activists who have the courage to stand for people's rights rather than harassing and demonizing them. When will our authorities free themselves of their colonial, imperialist mindset?

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Rohail

Oct 13, 2018 03:16am

Now NGOs start making it a big deal.

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fairplay

Oct 13, 2018 04:55am

@johar no wonder the Russians, Turkey, and China went after the NGOs and so-called churches. For too long foreign funded organizations have been.given too much freedom in the country.

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Qasim

Oct 13, 2018 05:24am

It's Pakistan, all these so called NGOs are basically mrans of getting funds from abroad. Easy money. Then they look for passport of another country. So many NGOs have now been working here yet very few have an impact.

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SUMAIRA

Oct 13, 2018 05:33am

How could she have left Pakistan in the first place when her name was on the ECL list?

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Be honest

Oct 13, 2018 07:56am

I think that she is active member of foreign NGO working in Pakistan on their agenda. These people must be watched closely to make sure that they do not harm our country. Well done FIA!

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Qaiser

Oct 13, 2018 08:16am

The matter should be investigated properly and fairly....having said nobody has the right to malign and disrepute the country

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M.Mudassir Siddiqui

Oct 13, 2018 10:34am

who were her Sponsors? Money Trail !

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Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

Oct 13, 2018 05:41pm

Khurram! If you do not understand me then do not comment please. Where did I say that one who goes to London should go to jail. Iqbal Hadi Zaidi

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asgher

Oct 13, 2018 06:32pm

PTM again!!!

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Sarak Chaap

Oct 14, 2018 03:47am

Did she learn any lesson?

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Oct 14, 2018 05:32am

@ Jamil true

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Mirza

Oct 14, 2018 07:45am

Who is financing this movement, Does anubody has a clue? What is their motive

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naji

Oct 14, 2018 08:55am

How these modern day, poor Pakistani activist visit London and Europe frequently? The poor affected people? Are they complain to King and Queen of European countries?

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