Durrani moves IHC to remove his name from ECL

Former Director General Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), Lieutenant General Asad Durrani (retd) on Monday moved a petition in the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to remove his name from Exit Control List (ECL) so that he could go abroad. Durrani retired from Pakistan Army in 1993 as a three-star general and later also served as Pakistan's ambassador to Germany and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Durrani stated that the only purpose of his travel abroad is to pursue his professional commitments and visit his children. He stated that he and his wife do not hold nationality of any other country. Durrani's name was placed on ECL on May 29 on the recommendation of Pakistan Army. The decision to place his name was taken after Durrani appeared at the General Headquarters to clarify his stance pertaining to 'The Spy Chronicles,' a book co-authored by Amarjit Singh Dulat, the former chief of Indian spy agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).
According to the petition, the respondents in the case are the federal government through the interior secretary, defence secretary and Qalandar Khan, the section officer of the Ministry of Interior. The petition said the former spy chief, on September 5, requested the adjutant general of Pakistan Army to remove his name from ECL on account of professional commitments and that he and his wife wanted to visit their grandchildren living abroad.
After receiving no response, it added, Durrani requested the federal government on September 13 to review its decision. The counsel stated that both the respondents failed to respond to Durrani's requests.
The counsel maintained that Durrani retired from the army over 25 years ago and is not subject to the provisions of Pakistan Army Act, 1952. Therefore, any inquiry initiated against him has been done without jurisdiction and is illegal. He said Durrani has the right to enter a lawful profession and earn a living as guaranteed by Article 18 of the Constitution.
The former spy chief's counsel further added that Durrani has numerously spoken, defended and represented the country's position on matters of national and international importance. He has been invited to the Herat Security Dialogue to be held on October 26 and 27 in Herat, Afghanistan. The counsel contended that Durrani's inability to travel will leave Pakistan unrepresented.