IHC seeks ministry, FIA’s comments on Mahrang’s plea against travel restriction

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has directed the interior ministry, the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and the director general immigration and passports to file comments by next week on a petition filed by Baloch Yakjehti Committee leader Mahrang Baloch against restrictions on travelling abroad.

The IHC also ordered that the relevant officer of the interior ministry to appear in person at the next hearing.

IHC Chief Justice Aamer Farooq observed that the Inter-Services Intelligence had been made a respondent in the case for no reason and remarked that he was issuing notices to the relevant parties.

The petitioner appeared for the hearing along with her lawyer Imaan Mazari. The IHC chief justice told the lawyer to tell her client to leave the rostrum and take a seat. To this, Imaan Mazari said Mahrang would just remain standing and not say anything.

The IHC CJ said that either Imaan Mazari should present arguments or let her client do so. After this, the petitioner took a seat.

The counsel said that on October 7, Mahrang was stopped from travelling abroad at the Jinnah International Airport Karachi. To this, the CJ asked if her name had been placed on the no-fly list.

When Chief Justice Aamer Farooq asked why the ISI had been made a respondent, Imaan Mazari said they had been told that agencies oversaw the no-fly list. The IHC CJ told the counsel that this was not the case and observed that the ISI was made a respondent for no reason.

The high court issued notices to the interior ministry, FIA and immigration & passport department, seeking their comments.