PESHAWAR, Jan 15: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court has ordered the removal of the name of a former senior member of the board of revenue, Abdul Hamid Khan, from the Exit Control List.

The bench comprising Justice Shehzad Akber Khan and Justice Fazalur Rahman directed on Thursday that the removal of Mr Khan's name from ECL would be a one time concession and it would remain removed from the list for a month.

Senior Advocate M. Sardar Khan appeared for the petitioner and argued that Mr Khan had been suffering from serious heart ailment and for medical treatment he wanted to go abroad.

He added that the petitioner had already undergone a heart surgery and was again advised an operation. He contended that the conviction of Mr Khan by an accountability court had already been set aside by the high court and the case was remanded back to the trial court. He added that the petitioner's appeal against that judgment had been pending before the Supreme Court and in the meantime he was released on bail by the court.

The Deputy Prosecutor-General of National Accountability Bureau, Mian Fasihul Mulk, argued that the petitioner was under trial and there were serious allegations against him of possessing assets disproportionate to his known sources of income. He stated that the petitioner may not be allowed to visit abroad as there were apprehension of his disappearance.