Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), expressed gratitude on Friday to the government for including his name in the No Fly List, asserting that he harbors no intention of venturing overseas.
On a preceding day, Khan and an array of PTI leaders were allegedly incorporated into the FIA’s Provisional National Identification List (PNIL), a measure designed to prevent their departure from the country in light of their suspected involvement in the May 9 riots, which inflicted significant damage to both public and private properties, notably those linked to the nation’s military.
Via Twitter, the PTI head stated, “I want to thank the government for placing me on the ECL as I have no plans to travel abroad.”
Expounding on his stance, Khan, who was ousted from the prime minister’s position following a no-confidence vote in April of the previous year, clarified that he possesses “no properties or businesses abroad nor even a bank account outside the country.”
However, should an opportunity for vacation present itself, Khan preferred the northern mountains of Pakistan, which he describes as his “favorite place on earth.”
According to insiders, Khan’s wife, Bushra Bibi, along with PTI politicians Murad Saeed, Maleeka Bokhari, Fawad Chaudhry, Hammad Azhar, Qasim Suri, Asad Qaiser, Yasmin Rashid, and Mian Aslam Iqbal, are also on the list.
These sources further allege that attempts by some PTI leaders and officeholders to leave the country in the past three days were thwarted at airports.
To curb potential departures, police submitted their names to the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD) and intelligence agencies.
Read: Over 600 PTI Leaders, Including Imran Khan, Added to No-Fly List
Many party leaders and workers have been detained after the PTI crackdown since May 9 due to the party’s purported involvement in riots that resulted in at least eight fatalities and numerous injuries.
Several party leaders and lawmakers, including Shireen Mazari, Fawad Chaudhry, Aamir Mehmood Kiani, Malik Amin Aslam, Mahmood Moulvi, Aftab Siddiqui, and Fayyazul Hassan Chohan, among others, have since publicly condemned the attacks on state installations and announced their departure from the former ruling party in the aftermath of the May 9 incidents.
