LAHORE, April 7: The Lahore High Court will hear on Thursday the petition of Hamza Shahbaz, seeking removal of his name from the Exit Control List.

Justice Tassaduq Husain Jillani had on the previous date of hearing issued a notice to the federal interior secretary with the direction to submit a reply. Deputy Attorney-General Nawaz Bhatti was directed to ensure the compliance of the court orders.

Hamza had submitted that his family had been exiled on political grounds. He said he had to go abroad to see his family as well as to look after business.

He pleaded that the authorities had on Dec 5, 2002, barred him from going abroad by putting his name on the ECL. He submitted the government's action was illegal and malicious. -PPI