PESHAWAR: Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur on Friday moved the Peshawar High Court against authorities for “denying” him diplomatic passport and placing his name on travel restriction lists.

In the petition, Mr Gandapur requested the court to declare illegal the acts of respondents, including the interior ministry’s, to place his name in the Black List, Passport Control List, Exit Control List and Provisional National Identification List.

He also sought declaration of the court to the effect that the refusal to renew or issue a diplomatic passport to him was illegal and unlawful.

The chief minister sought directives of the court for the respondents to remove his name from the travel restriction lists as the same was in conflict with Article 15 of the Constitution.

Seeks PHC orders for issuance of diplomatic passport to him

He also requested the court to direct respondents to allow him to travel abroad.

The petition filed through advocate Bashir Khan Wazir includes as respondents the federal government through interior secretary, Federal Investigation Agency’s director general, its director for Peshawar region, director general of National Database and Registration Authority, and director general of Passport and Immigration Islamabad.

The chief minister said that he was a law-abiding citizen and had contested the general elections 2024 from PK-113 area in Dera Ismail Khan besides other constituencies, and was declared a returned candidate following which he was elected as the chief minister of KP.

He said that being the chief executive of the province he had to travel abroad in connection with provincial affairs and he had approached the relevant quarters for renewal of his diplomatic passport, under the prevailing rules.

Mr Gandapur noted that he was intimated that his name had been placed in black list, ECL, PCL or any other list and therefore, his request had not been entertained for passport renewal.

He contended that he was entitled under the constitutional provisions to retain a diplomatic passport for the purpose of traveling abroad.

The chief minister said that his government issued a letter to the relevant quarter for the renewal and issuance of diplomatic passport to him as per his entitlement under the Passport Rules 2021.

He added that despite the fact that he was entitled for issuance of the said passport. However, the respondents without any plausible reasons did not issue and renew the diplomatic passport of the petitioner.

Mr Gandapur contended that Article 15 of the Constitution ensured the freedom of movement in the country and travel to any other country.

He said that before putting his name in travel restriction lists, no notice was given to him to seek his reply, which was a violation of Article 10 A of the Constitution.

The chief minister contended that the act of the respondents was tantamount to depriving him of his lawful rights and it was carried out without any lawful authority.

He said that right of movement was a fundamental right, but the respondents had violated the same through their impugned illegal action.

Mr Gandapur said that he represented the entire KP province and could go to any country to further the cause of the people’s rights.

Published in Dawn, September 13th, 2025