LAHORE: The Lahore police have sent names of over 700 PTI leaders to the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) to impose a restriction on their foreign travel for one month.

The Punjab government has also decided to expedite legal proceedings against those involved in riots and arson.

The 746 PTI leaders and activists have been on the authorities’ radar for their alleged involvement in the May 9 violence following the arrest of PTI Chairman Imran Khan.

The FIA has been requested to place their names on the Provisional National Identification List (PNIL) — which temporarily bars people from travelling abroad.

FIA asked to place them on ‘no-fly’ list

The list sent to the FIA included the names of fashion designer Khadija Shah, PTI’s senior leader Shafqat Mahmood, Imran Khan’s nephew Hassaan Niazi, PTI’s supporter Sanam Javed Khan, who got famous after her protests outside Zaman Park, and others.

The travel restrictions were proposed by the police after PTI leaders were identified through footage obtained from Punjab Safe City cameras, video clips, Nadra’s database, reports from intelligence agencies and other sources.

According to the police, the accused had stormed and attacked the military installations on May 9.

A senior FIA official told Dawn the Ministry of Interior has three options to stop a person from travelling abroad. These included the Exit Control List (ECL), Passport Control List (PCL) and the PNIL. The travel restrictions are imposed on those wanted by law enforcement agencies, criminals and terrorists.

He said the PNIL was the initial stage where travel restrictions were imposed for 30 days. Those placed on ECL or PCL are permanently barred from travelling unless their cases were reviewed by the authorities concerned.

The official said that the 746 suspects were wanted by the Lahore police in 14 cases registered with various police stations under anti-terrorism and other charges.

The police high-ups recommended the names to the FIA director general for immediate action, following intelligence reports that they were preparing to fly abroad to evade arrests, the official added.

The suspects whose names have been sent to the FIA have been underground since the police started looking for them.

The Lahore police have formed multiple teams comprising officers from the Crime Investigation Agency, Counter Terrorism Department, investigation and operations wings of the police and other law enforcement agencies to nab them.

‘Fast track trial of rioters’

Separately, a meeting chaired by caretaker Punjab Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi on Tuesday stressed the need for swift arrest and trials of those involved in attacks on military installations and other properties.

Published in Dawn, May 24th, 2023