The Islamabad High Court on Tuesday suspended the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) order placing the names of key aides of former prime minister Imran Khan – including his former adviser on interior and accountability Shahzad Akbar and special assistant on political communication Shahbaz Gill and four others – on the “stop list”.
According to media reports, the FIA had a day ago placed six key members of the former PTI government — Gill; Akbar; Imran Khan’s focal person on digital media, Dr Arsalan Khalid; ex-PM Imran’s principal secretary Azam Khan; Punjab Anti Corruption Director-General Gohar Nafees; and FIA Punjab Zone Director General Mohammad Rizwan — on the “stop list”. Any person placed on the “stop list” is not allowed to leave the country.
Akbar filed a petition with the IHC on Tuesday, seeking revocation of the FIA move that bars him and others from foreign travel.
Akbar and Gill later appeared before the court as the plea was taken up for hearing.
During the proceedings, IHC Chief Justice Athar Minallah remarked that the court had already declared the “black list” illegal. Akbar urged the court to summon the FIA chief and inquire from him on whose directions his name was placed on the no-fly list. He said in case he had committed a crime, “there should be an application moved [to request such a move]”.
