The federation through Collector of Customs Islamabad on Tuesday challenged the Sindh High Court's verdict on removal of supermodel Ayyan's name from the Exit Control List (ECL). On March 14, last year, Customs officials apprehended Ayyan from Benazir Bhutto International Airport Islamabad under the Anti-Money Laundering Act after an amount of $506,800 was recovered from her luggage.
She was sent to Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail, however, Customs Court Rawalpindi granted her bail after almost four months in detention. The Special Court also returned Ayyan's passport after she submitted two surety bonds worth Rs1 million each, and a personal guarantee in December 2015 but her name was put on the ECL.
Challenging the placement of her name on the ECL in Sindh High Court (SHC) under the Article 199 of the Constitution, Ayyan made Federal government through Secretary Interior and Incharge Jinnah International Airport Karachi as respondents in December 2015. Her lawyer Sardar Latif Khosa contended before the SHC that placing her client's name on the ECL was a violation of fundamental rights as well as a violation of Article 18 of the Constitution.
Disposing of the plea on March 07, a division bench of SHC led by Justice Ahmed Ali M Sheikh issued directives to the Ministry of Interior to immediately remove the name of Ayyan Ali form the ECL and allow her to travel abroad if she so desires.
However, the bench said in its judgement, "the learned Standing counsel verbally submits that since the Federation of Pakistan intends to assail the judgement before Supreme Court of Pakistan, therefore, operation of the said judgement may be suspended for a period of fifteen days from today (March 07,2016) - In the interest of justice , request is allowed and the operation of the above judgement is suspended for period of ten days from today (March07,2016)".
On Tuesday, Federation through Collector of Customs, Model Customs Collectorate Islamabad filed a petition before the Supreme Court under Article 185 (3) of the Constitution making Ayyan Ali as respondent whereas Federal Interior Secretary and Incharge Jinnah International Airport Karachi have been made as performa respondents.
Seeking leave to appeal in the case, the counsel of the Federation, Farhat Nawaz Lodhi, urged the apex court to decide a number of questions of law in the case.
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