Court orders removal of Asma Alamgir’s name from ECL

Bureau report

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Interior to remove the name of Asma Alamgir, former advisor to Prime Minister and Pakistan People's Party (PPP) leader from the Exit Control List (ECL).

A division bench comprising Justice Ikramullah Khan and Justice Musarrat Hilali allowed the writ petition filed by PPP leader Asma Alamgir seeking directions for removal of her name from the ECL. During the arguments, Barrister Masroor Shah, her counsel submitted that the petitioner name was put on ECL for just one year but time had passed but her name was still on the ECL.

He contended that the investigation of the allegation levelled against her by the NAB KP still continued and nothing had been proved against her. Therefore, he pleaded, her name should be removed from the ECL.

The lawyer submitted that the NAB has failed to prove anything against her despite years-long investigation and the case was still in the NAB court, therefore there is no logic in keeping her name on the ECL.

Additional Attorney General, Manzoor Khalil and NAB senior prosecutor Azimdad appeared in the case. Azimdad submitted that the NAB had filed a reference against Asma Alamgir and the case was still running in the accountability court and that was why the Ministry had put her name on ECL. He requested the court to dismiss the petition as she had a business in Dubai and may not return if she went abroad during the trial.

Additional Attorney General submitted that the ministry would decide whether to remove her name from the ECL or not. The PPP leader alleged that all the cases levelled against her and her husband, Arbab Alamgir, were politically motivated. She also accused the government of using NAB for opposition leadership victimization.