Wasim Kambo ISLAMABAD, Jun 27 (APP):The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a detailed judgment reiterating that travel restrictions on citizens can only be imposed through lawful authority and in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure, declaring the inclusion of a citizen’s name on the Passport Control List (PCL) without such compliance as unlawful . The judgment was issued on a petition filed by citizen Zain Ateeq, whose name was …
IHC orders removal of citizen’s name from PCL, reaffirms travel ban principles
Wasim Kambo
ISLAMABAD, Jun 27 (APP):The Islamabad High Court (IHC) has issued a detailed judgment reiterating that travel restrictions on citizens can only be imposed through lawful authority and in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure, declaring the inclusion of a citizen’s name on the Passport Control List (PCL) without such compliance as unlawful .
The judgment was issued on a petition filed by citizen Zain Ateeq, whose name was placed on the PCL after he was deported from Turkiye in July 2022 .
Despite the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) recommending the removal of his name after more than two years had elapsed, the Passport Authority dismissed his request on the grounds of non-prosecution .
The court noted that there was no evidence on record to suggest the petitioner had been convicted of any offence or was facing any pending criminal proceedings in either Pakistan or Turkiye . It observed that a person cannot be kept on the PCL indefinitely without approval from the competent legal authority .
Referring to its earlier ruling in the Shireen Mazari case, the IHC reiterated that travel restrictions must be imposed through lawful authority and in accordance with the prescribed legal procedure .
The court concluded that the authorities had failed to fulfil the legal requirements in the present case and found no legal justification to continue restricting the petitioner’s travel .
The court held that the petitioner’s inclusion on the list violated fundamental rights, including freedom of movement, due process, and the right to seek lawful employment, and ordered his name removed from the PCL.
