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IHC removes name of rights activist from ECL
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court has ordered removal of the name of human rights activist Gulalai Ismail from the Exit Control List (ECL).
Justice Aamer Farooq of the IHC had on Jan 10 reserved the verdict on a petition filed by Ms Ismail challenging the government’s decision to put her name on the ECL.
The court, however, allowed the interior ministry to take appropriate action, including confiscation of her passport, in the light of recommendations made by the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI).
In November last year, the IHC was informed that the ISI had recommended putting Ms Ismail’s name on the ECL for her alleged anti-state activities abroad.
During the course of hearing, Gulalai Ismail’s counsel Babar Sattar argued that even though she had not been named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered against some Pakhtun activists, she was arrested upon her arrival from the United Kingdom.
In her petition, Ms Ismail had sought return of her passport and travel documents which the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) had confiscated upon her landing in Pakistan on Oct 12. She was later detained briefly at the FIA’s office in Islamabad.
According to the petition, Ms Ismail is the chairperson of a non-governmental organisation, Aware Girls. She has won national and international acclaim for her work to empower women.
The petition said the FIA had detained her upon her return from the UK on Oct 12 in connection with her alleged association with the Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement and for allegedly “delivering anti-state speeches”.
The petitioner, however, said she was a patriot and never indulged in anti-state activities.
Ms Ismail said that the federal government had placed her name on the ECL and the FIA confiscated her passport without giving her an opportunity to defend herself. She requested the court to order removal of her name from the ECL and direct the FIA to return her passport.
In the judgement, Justice Farooq held that “the impugned memorandum [of placing Gulalai on ECL] is set aside and the respondents are directed to hand over passport of the petitioner to her”.
The order, however, stated: “Needless to observe that since there is a recommendation of Inter-Services Intelligence for placing the name of the petitioner on the Exit Control List, the respondents [of the interior ministry] are at liberty to take appropriate action on the same and even confiscate her passport in accordance with law keeping in view the observations made hereinabove.”
Published in Dawn, March 13th, 2019
Comments (22) Closed
Wonderful and respectful lady. Let her work in full spectrum for the benefits of women in the country.
Stop the nonsense. Return her passport...
Gordon D. Walker
Canada
Too Bad. Her anti state activities are well known so she must be put behind bars.. before she spreads more venom and rift and division.
Rights' Activitst... is that what she is??? Funny never heard any word on the plight of Kashmiris murdered daily by Indian Army in IOK???
Good judgement
Good job
The question remains that Ms. Ismael having no source of income of her own, who is sponsoring her foreign visits costing a fortune? Considering her affiliation with a group, who openly use abusive language against our army, does not qualify her to be an activists promoting cause of majority pushtoon, who love their country and its institutions.
Good
Why is it that successive Pakistani federal governments from PPP to PML to now PTI get so obsessed with anybody who is critical of the sitting government's policies and tactics. History keeps repeating itself to the extent that now even women are being incarcerated. Shame on the current government for not learning from past governments' stupidities.
she is a woman and a peace activist.The state should not hold her passport. She is exercising her freedom and rights enshrined by the constitution.
@Gordon D. Walker,
Return her passport but put ban on her international movement.
Good move.
What’s the use of just confiscating her passport? She can make another one. In Pakistan it is possible by also using a fake name. We don’t seem to learn from our mistakes and allow names to be taken off ECL or allow them to go abroad. No one comes back because they ALL fall ill including Isaq Dar, Salman Shahbaz etc
@ZZQ, that’s a very lame excuse.
Strip her from pak nationality
I am a Pukhtoon. This month many of our brave tribes unanimously announced our availability to fight for motherland alongside our gallant army at half a call. Please do not call these 0.0001% sold outs as Pukhtoons.
No compromise on national security and if people like to be used by vested powers then they must be handled in accordance of law with no-sympathy.
Anyone who goes against the pak army the protectors of Pakistan should be put behind bars.
@Amjad Durrani Engineer USA. I also got same question you know, Imran khan retired years a go and he also have no source of income, who is sponsoring him ???
@Yousuf Ali previous governments are not as cruel as this government is, thats why Imran Khan able to attack on PTV and Parliament, if they also does things brutally like current government then Imran may be in jail right now for attacking state institutes.
She just raised her voice for the missing persons and rights of Pakistani citizens
When there is direction to interior ministry to take steps for confiscation of her passport, it means still on ECL.
She is becoming another Malala - a tool in the hands of international forces against Pakistan.