The two Pashtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM)-linked lawmakers were traveling to Afghanistan to for President Ashraf Ghani's oath-taking ceremony scheduled for Monday. The FIA officials stopped them at the Islamabad airport.
A report published in Dawn newspaper quotes an FIA official as saying that the lawmakers were stopped from leaving the country because their names were found on the no-fly list.
The report also quotes Mohsin Dawar as saying that they were unaware of the travel ban and that the authorities were punishing them 'for speaking the truth'. Politicians Afrasiab Khattak, Bushra Gohar and activist Fazal Khan have left for Kabul for the ceremony.
Meanwhile, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister on Information Firdous Ashiq Awan confirmed that the two MNAs' names are on the ECL, adding that they did not seek permission to travel to Afghanistan.
Awan also criticised Mohsin Dawar for his statement about the ceremony and stated that it was a bid to malign the state institutions. She, however, said that the government might consider granting them permission 'in accordance with the law' if they submit a formal application seeking permission to leave the country.