ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Friday ordered to remove the name of former leader of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Dr Shireen Mazari from the Passport Control List (PCL).
A single bench of Justice Tariq Mehmood Jahangiri announced the verdict which he had reserved earlier after hearing the arguments of both sides in a petition moved by the former human rights minister to remove her name from the list.
Dr Mazari approached the court through his counsel Barrister Ahsan Jamal Pirzada.
The court declared placing the petitioner’s name on PCL unjustified, illegal, without lawful authority and of no legal effect. Director General, Immigration & Passport, Islamabad was directed to remove name of Dr Mazari from PCL within a period of one week and submit compliance report before Deputy Registrar (Judicial) for perusal of the Court.
Justice Jahangiri stated in his written order that placing of petitioner’s name on PCL is violative of her fundamental rights to due process, liberty, life, and freedom of movement which are guaranteed by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973.
He noted, “Nothing has been placed on record that may indicate that the Federal Government has given approval regarding placing petitioner’s name on PCL as provided in Rule 22 (1) of the Passport Rules, 2021.”
“It is settled principle that if law required a particular thing to be done in a particular manner, it had to be done accordingly; otherwise, it would be non-compliance with the legislative intent,” maintained the judge.
Mazari in her petition stated that through news, published in the newspapers and some magazines, that her name has been placed on PCL. She contended that impugned action of respondents restraining her movement is discriminatory and violative of the provisions of the Constitution; her fundamental rights have been jeopardised.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023
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