Accepting the federation appeal against Sindh High Court ruling which asked Federal Interior Ministry to remove supermodel Ayyan Ali's name from Exist Control List (ECL), the top court issued notice to country's chief law officer in the matter. Customs officials had arrested Ayyan Ali from Benazir International Airport Islamabad in March last year under Anti-Money Laundering Act and then she was sent to Adiala jail Rawalpindi.
However, Special Customs Court Rawalpindi granted bail to Ayyan Ali but she was not able to travel abroad due to her name placement in the ECL to which she invoked the SHC jurisdiction and succeeded to get removal of her name from the ECL. Federation challenged such approval in the apex court, however, the Supreme Court upheld the SHC verdict whereas Federal Interior Ministry again placed Ayyan Ali name on the ECL in request of Customs department. To which Ayyan Ali once more challenged act of Federal Interior Ministry to place her name on the ECL and the SHC asked the Ministry to remove her name from the List.
Filing a criminal appeal under Article 19 (1)(ii) of the Contempt of Court Ordinance 2003 against the SHC verdict on June 09, Arif Ahmed Khan, Federal Secretary Ministry of Interior and Aurangzaib Haq, Additional Secretary of the ECL made Ayyan Ali, Shahid Hayat, Director FIA Sindh and others as respondents. Resuming the hearing of the plea on Tuesday, a two-member bench led by Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh observed, "Is Ayyan Ali a terrorist?"
Appearing before the court, Additional Attorney General Waqar Rana apprised that Ayyan Ali's name was placed on the ECL in response to Home Department Punjab government because Ayyan Ali was nominated in an FIR launched in Customs Inspector Chuahdry Ejaz Mahmood murder case and needed to be investigated. To which, Justice Azmat Saeed Sheikh remarked, "Does name of every suspect of a murder case in Punjab end up on the ECL? Has the government put all names of the persons that have been sent notices by Federal Board of Revenue for tax payment on the ECL?"
He further observed, "Everybody knows what is happening - the Court knows how to get its orders implemented- as to why the Federal Interior Secretary should not be sent behind the bars". Addressing Waqar Rana, the bench said the court would not cease its function if its orders were not being implemented; adding that matter in hand was of sensitive nature so the concerned should take tangible measures in that regard. Ayyan Ali' counsel Sardar M Latif Khosa contended before the bench that former army chief and President Pervez Musharraf was allowed to travel abroad without any interference because he was influential. Later, the bench adjourned hearing of the case till last week of the June 2016.