PESHAWAR, Nov 28: A two-member bench of the Peshawar High Court here on Wednesday reserved its judgment in two writ petitions of former MNA and an alleged drug trafficker, Haji Ayub Afridi.

The petitioner has challenged placement of his name on the Exit Control List and non-issuance of passport to him by the federal government.

The bench comprising Justice Ijaz Afzal and Justice Dost Muhammad Khan heard arguments of both parties. Mr Afridi, has been engaged in legal battle with the government pertaining to attachment of his properties and confiscation of his passport.

The case pertaining to his properties has been pending before the Supreme Court as both the high court and special judge customs and anti-smuggling had decided it in the favour of the Anti-Narcotics Force.

The petitioner had also surrendered himself to the  US government a few years back and had returned back to the country during the military government after he was released in the US. He remained in Karachi prison but was released last year.

Advocate M. Sardar Khan appeared for the petitioner and argued that he was neither charged in any case nor any inquiry was pending against him. He argued that putting restrictions on his freedom of movement was against the law and Constitution. He argued that the government had not given any specific reason for restricting him from going abroad.

Mr Khan argued that at present there was no case pending against the accused in any court of law. He contended that as the petitioner was not required in any case, therefore there was no apprehension of his becoming an absconder. He prayed the court to accept the petitions and issue directives to the  federal government for removing his name from the ECL and issue passport to him.