ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Tuesday issued a show-cause notice to the special judge of the Banking Court and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), seeking an explanation for the disregard of its orders regarding the removal of a citizen’s name from the no-fly list.
Justice Raja Inaam Ameen Minhas took notice of a petition filed by a citizen whose name was repeatedly placed on the Passport Control List (PCL) and Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), despite a previous court order directing its removal.
According to the petitioner’s counsel, the case dates back to two FIRs, lodged by the FIA’s CBC wing in Islamabad. While the petitioner had secured bail and was even granted a one-time permission by the trial court to travel abroad for Umrah, the FIA, under the garb of Section 8 of the Offences in Respect of Banks Ordinance, 1984, reinserted her name on the travel restriction lists, effectively barring her from leaving the country again.
Raja Rizwan Abbasi, the counsel for the petitioner, argued that this action was not only illegal but also a direct violation of the fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution of Pakistan.
He informed the court that the petitioner had already approached the Banking Court, which had allowed her to travel.
However, the FIA authorities continued to ignore the judicial orders and kept her name on the lists.
Taking a stern view of the matter, Justice Minhas noted that a similar petition regarding the same issue had been disposed of by the IHC on December 17, 2025, with a clear directive to remove the petitioner’s name from the lists.
Despite being fully apprised of the high court’s judgment, the FIA once again placed her name on the PCL/PNIL, showing a “patent disregard” for the directions contained therein.
The deputy director of the FIA appeared before the court and sought a short adjournment to submit a comprehensive report.
However, the court expressed its displeasure and directed the FIA and the learned Special Judge (Offences in Banks), Islamabad, to explain reasons in writing why the earlier directions had not been complied with. The court warned of initiating contempt proceedings if a satisfactory response was not provided.
“This oversight renders the restriction legally void. Placing a citizen on the no-fly list without due process is a recipe for abuse, especially when the accused is cooperating with the legal process,” the court remarked, referring to the legal principles established in similar cases.
The court also observed that while the FIA has the authority to recommend names for the no-fly lists under Section 8 of the Banking Ordinance, it cannot circumvent court orders or violate the constitutional guarantee of freedom of movement.
The hearing was adjourned until Wednesday (today), with the court ordering that a copy of the order be sent immediately to the Banking Court via special messenger. The FIA and the Banking Court judge have been directed to submit their detailed reports by today.
Published in Dawn, July 8th, 2026