Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) director general retired Lt Gen Asad Durrani's has been removed from the Exit Control List (ECL) by the Islamabad High Court.
The court issued this order saying that there are no basis for his name on the no-fly list. Chief Justice Athar Minallah was the presiding judge.
The judge asked Deputy Attorney General Syed Tayyab Shah if an inquiry had been launched when Duranni’s name was put on the ECL. Justice Minallah said that while observing the evidence, the court has found that no investigation had been launched against Durrani when he was put on the ECL in 2018.
The reason was that he had co-authored a hook, The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace, with former head of India's Research and Analysis Wing spy agency, Amarjit Singh Dulat.
Upon the release of the book, the Military Intelligence had asked the interior minister to put Durrani on the ECL list. Their request was heard and he put on the ECL in May 2018.
Justice Miniallah asked Additional Attorney General Khokhar, who wasn’t present at court during the hearing at first but was summoned, if Durrani was put on the list after an inquiry.
When the attorney general replied no, Justice Minallah said, "The petitioner is a retired three-star general and has also remained the ISI director. But now he is a common citizen and it is his right to move about with freedom."
He further questioned the governments right to put anyone’s name on the ECL.
Attorney General Khokhar has requested the court to issue a notice to the Ministry of Defence for an answer. Justice Minallah, to this replied that, “According to the record, there is no fresh inquiry against Asad Durrani. There is no reason for keeping his name on the ECL.”
The court issued this order saying that there are no basis for his name on the no-fly list. Chief Justice Athar Minallah was the presiding judge.
The judge asked Deputy Attorney General Syed Tayyab Shah if an inquiry had been launched when Duranni’s name was put on the ECL. Justice Minallah said that while observing the evidence, the court has found that no investigation had been launched against Durrani when he was put on the ECL in 2018.
The reason was that he had co-authored a hook, The Spy Chronicles: RAW, ISI and the Illusion of Peace, with former head of India's Research and Analysis Wing spy agency, Amarjit Singh Dulat.
Upon the release of the book, the Military Intelligence had asked the interior minister to put Durrani on the ECL list. Their request was heard and he put on the ECL in May 2018.
Justice Miniallah asked Additional Attorney General Khokhar, who wasn’t present at court during the hearing at first but was summoned, if Durrani was put on the list after an inquiry.
When the attorney general replied no, Justice Minallah said, "The petitioner is a retired three-star general and has also remained the ISI director. But now he is a common citizen and it is his right to move about with freedom."
He further questioned the governments right to put anyone’s name on the ECL.
Attorney General Khokhar has requested the court to issue a notice to the Ministry of Defence for an answer. Justice Minallah, to this replied that, “According to the record, there is no fresh inquiry against Asad Durrani. There is no reason for keeping his name on the ECL.”