PESHAWAR: Peshawar High Court on Thursday summoned Federal Investigation Agency provincial director while expressing annoyance over off-loading of a leader of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf, Faisal Javed Khan, and not allowing him to depart for performing Umrah despite the court orders.

A bench consisting of Justice Sahibzada Asadullah and Justice Sabitullah Khan directed that the director of FIA, Inamullah Gandapur, should appear in person on March 7 (Friday) and explain why petitioner Faisal Javed Khan had not been allowed to board a flight for Saudi Arabia despite clear directives of the court in that regard.

The bench was hearing a contempt of court petition filed by Mr Javed, a former senator, stating that he had been off-loaded at Peshawar’s Bacha Khan International Airport by the immigration staff.

The petitioner claimed that he had shown the order of PHC to the officials of FIA but despite that they didn’t permit him to board a flight for Saudi Arabia.

Former senator Faisal Javed stopped from going for Umrah

The bench had on March 4 allowed the petitioner to go for performance of Umrah and had ordered the government to temporarily remove his name from Provisional National Identification List (PNIL).

The bench had issued that order while hearing a petition of Mr Javed, who had challenged inclusion of his name in PNIL and placing restrictions on his travelling abroad.

Advocate Alam Khan Adenzai appeared for the petitioner and stated that the instant contempt petition was filed for initiating proceedings against the responsible officers. He said that in sheer disregard to the order of the court, the petitioner had been denied his right to free movement by the government.

The bench observed when it had heard the petition on March 4, the assistant attorney general (AAG) had made commitment that the government would follow the orders if the petitioner was given permission by the court.

Justice Asadullah inquired from the AAG that if those institutions had resorted to highhandedness then why the law officers had been representing them in the court. The judge asked why they had been making commitments in the court when those institutions were not listening to them.

“We need a strong attorney general office so that the commitments made by them in the court should be obeyed,” Justice Asadullah observed.

The bench wondered why they should be hearing to the officers of the advocate general and attorney general offices when the departments had least respect for the commitments made by them in the court.

The bench observed that it had no personal issue with anyone and only wanted to uphold supremacy of the Constitution and law.

Meanwhile, a bench consisting of Justice Syed Arshad Ali and Justice Dr Khurshid Iqbal issued notices to federal interior secretary and FIA director general, seeking their response to plea of former National Assembly speaker Asad Qaiser, whose name was placed in PNIL despite the government making a denial in that regard.

Advocate Mohammad Asif appeared for the petitioner and stated that his client intended to travel to Saudi Arabia for performing Umrah.

He said that he had earlier filed a petition challenging placement of his name in PNIL. However, he said that government had informed the high court that his name had not been in any of the lists imposing travel restrictions.

However, he said that now they were informed that the name of the petitioner had been placed in the PNIL.

Published in Dawn, March 7th, 2025