LAHORE, June 29: The Lahore High Court on Thursday granted a one-time permission to Pakistan People’s Party secretary-general Jahangir Badr to leave for London to attend a party meeting.

The court suspended the order of the interior ministry under which his name was placed on the exit control list. However, the court ordered Mr Badr to furnish two surety bonds of Rs500,000 each.

Mr Badr had, in a writ petition, submitted that he wanted to go to London where PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto had called a meeting of party legislators and leaders.

He submitted that since his name was placed on the ECL, he was not able to leave the country. He submitted that he had proceeded abroad on a number of occasions and had always returned within the period stipulated by the court. On all such occasions, he was prohibited to leave the country as his name was on the ECL.

He also stated medical check-up as another reason for a visit to London.

AHMAD MUKHTAR: Meanwhile, the LHC granted permission to PPP former secretary-general Chaudhry Ahmad Mukhtar on a similar ground. He was ordered to furnish a surety bond valuing Rs1 million.